A Spirit of Fire
by kie-san
Summary: It’s hard to run away from a friend, especially the first you ever had, and even harder to forget. She left the Sekiho and him to escape a dark secret and even darker past. Ten years after, they find each other. Can she leave him and run again? Ch. 21 up!
1. Prologue Part 1

**Summary:** It's hard to give up a friend, especially the first you ever had, and even harder to forget. She left the Sekiho and him, hoping to escape a dark secret and even darker past. Ten years after the disbandment, they find each other. Can she leave him and run again? SanoxOC

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Rurouni Kenshin

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Prologue: Part 1

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Sanosuke yawned widely and audibly as he circled the camp for the fifth time, slowing his pace as he dragged his feet.

Guard duty was usually given to the junior soldiers, seeing as no one usually attacked or attempted to infiltrate the Sekihoutai's base. No one. Ever.

That made this particular chore very, _very_, boring.

Well, he wouldn't be so bored and miserable right now if he didn't keep thinking about what that baka Katsu was doing.

Sanosuke looked almost longingly at the gate as he passed it, wishing he were outside it with the Captain in town. He'd probably be with him if he hadn't gotten stuck doing this first.

Of course, Katsu had managed to brown nose his way out of whatever he did all day in the arsenals to go with Captain Sagara to town. Sanosuke hadn't missed the haughty grin on Katsu's face as he walked out of the camp behind the Captain.

Sano grit his teeth angrily as his mind raced through probable revenge schemes.

He began to chuckle darkly as a plot began to formulate in the spiky haired head of his.

A few leafs fell onto said spiky brown hair and brought Sano back to reality from the happy land of revenge. He plucked them off his head and studied them, then looked up, to see that the branch of a tall tree that was on the other side of the wall was swaying slightly.

Strange, he hadn't felt any gust of wind.

He shrugged, figuring that he probably wouldn't feel any wind through the thick wooden wall.

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Her feet were silent as she trotted briskly down the rows of the poorly shingled buildings. She grinned to herself, not believing how easy it was to get into this camp, even in the broad daylight. She pictured an endlessly large storage room, filled with every type of vegetable and spice imaginable and hundreds of drums of rice, her mouth watering slightly.

She jumped the five feet that were between the two buildings easily, landing with a soft _thump_ on the roof of the storage room. She placed her ear to the roof and closed her eyes, listening intently.

She could hear the quiet sound of someone rummaging through the vegetables, their feet scraping against the packed dirt floor. They placed what sounded like a few objects into a basket. She listened as they picked the baskets up, and walked out the door, closing it with a sharp snap as they hurried back to wherever they had come from.

She looked up just in time to see a young woman disappear into a nearby building, which she presumed was the kitchen. She grinned broadly to herself, then creeped towards the side. After glancing around to check if anybody was around, she gripped the edge with both her hands and swung down, landing on the ground as quietly as before. She slid the door open and slipped in quickly, closing it behind her.

She sighed happily as she looked at the large shelves that were stocked with so much delicious, just waiting to be eaten, food. The smell of dried fish stock, rice, and vegetables mingled in the air as she began searching for something she could take that would be overlooked.

She poured a small amount of rice into some cloth and wrapped it closed before slipping it into her gi, and was about to select a few small vegetables when she heard the sound of approaching feet.

Her blood froze as she realized that the girl was coming back, heading straight for the door. She didn't have time to slip out. She looked around frantically, and, to her horror, realized that there were no visible windows in this room.

She could hear the girl's breath as she stood just outside the door, she could hear her as she placed her hand on the door. She would slide the door open in just a second, and she would find her standing with stolen goods stuffed into her gi in the middle of the room in that same time.

The door slid open and the woman stepped in, looking around for a forgotten object. She watched as the woman made her way to a basket, opening it to reveal a batch of cabbages. She picked one up and studied it carefully.

The girl was definitely taking her time. She didn't know how much longer she could stay like this. Her arms and legs began to ache as she pushed them harder against the wood, willing them to hold her for a little longer. Perspiration collected on the tip of her nose, threatening to fall and disclose her position on the ceiling between the rafters.

The woman had finally made her choice, and was about to walk out when…

_Guuuuu-----_

A loud sound erupted from her empty stomach.

Gods, why now??

She mentally cursed at her stomach, promising that she would rip it out if it weren't connected to her.

The young woman that was standing under her froze. She slowly tilted her head up. Both their faces were masks of shock and horror as their eyes met.

She, however, didn't scream bloody murder like the woman did, making her presence known to everyone within a ten mile radius...

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"AAHHHH!! INTRUDER!!" Sanosuke heard a loud shriek erupt from the middle of the camp. His heart nearly skipped a beat as he ran towards the sound at the thought of some action _finally_ happening.

It nearly stopped when he realized that _he_ had let the intruder in.

Why did it have to happen today, of all days?

Katsu would never let him live it down.

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She bolted through the base, dodging what seemed like hundreds of soldiers that suddenly appeared out of the dark recesses of the camp. Where had they _been _all this time?

She turned up the main path towards the gate, when a swarm of gunmen suddenly appeared in front of her. She skidded to a stop and scrambled to the side of a building, running down the small alley. She could hear as the entire squad chased after her, waving their guns around like madmen.

She turned her head to glance at them as they stampeded after her, trying to work up a plan to get out of this place with at least her life.

She braced herself and jumped onto some drums that were by a building, then she grabbed onto the edge of the roof and pulled herself up. Her heart was pounding and brow was sweating as she struggled to hoist herself up onto the roof. She finally managed, then stood straight up. She was about to run when suddenly everything around her became a blurry swirling mess. She wavered, trying to figure out which way to go, but her head began to pound and a sharp pain pierced her side. Everything began to get fuzzier and darker as she slowly slipped out of consciousness. She teetered back and fell off the roof, only to be caught by the soldiers under her.

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"_You_ watch her Sanosuke, since _you_ let her in," the guard growled as he pushed Sanosuke into the small jail.

"What?! What about dinner?!" Sano exclaimed as he stood at the door.

"Here," the guard said as he gruffly pushed a small pack of riceballs into Sanosuke's hands. Sano would've protested, but the murderous glare the guard gave him shut him up. He closed the door and stalked away, leaving Sanosuke standing at the door.

"This is injustice! It's not like I was the ONLY guard on duty! OH SURE, BLAME THE SCAPEGOAT!!" Sano was panting slightly after finishing yelling through the door, an angry vein throbbing on his head. He knew the guard was gone and probably didn't hear a word he said, making him even angrier.

He gave an angry snort as he went to the cell where the intruder was being held. He peered in, but found it was too dark to see the person who was sitting in the shadowy corner of the cell. He glared at whoever was inside.

This was all their fault.

He slumped down by the cell and unwrapped his dinner, grimacing at the thought of everyone else eating the delicious stew that was being made that afternoon. He looked at the riceball in his hand glumly, thinking of what the Captain would think about this fiasco.

"That looks really good," a small voice said in the corner of his ear. He turned his head to see a girl sitting on her haunches right besides him, on the other side of the bars.

"Ack!" he yelped, jumping to the side slightly. He hadn't even heard her move. He looked at her, and noticed she was gazing steadily at the riceball in his hand.

He moved the ball to the side, and her cat-like green eyes followed. He moved it up, and watched as they followed once again. He moved it in circles, and she followed, her eyes rolling in their sockets.

This continued for another few minutes.

"Please don't do that, I'm getting dizzy," she said after a while, moving her gaze to him and frowning. He glowered and stuffed the riceball into his mouth, to her obvious dismay.

"It's your fault that I'm in here and I'm not giving a prisoner anything," Sano said through the rice. Her face fell and she leaned her forehead on the wooden railing.

"You're right," she said softly, an unnervingly truthful tone audible. "I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused you." Sano couldn't help feeling a pang of regret for being so mean.

"Whatever," he shrugged, mentally bashing his conscience down. He remained quiet until his curiosity got the best of him. He glanced at her a few times as she remained with her head against the bars. "Why _did_ you break into a military base?" She didn't look up at him and shrugged half heartedly. He gave an exasperated sigh, hoping she would elaborate.

"I was hungry," she said simply after a moment of silence.

"You did all this because you were hungry?" he said, his voice full of skepticism. She nodded slowly, not lifting up her head. "When was the last time you ate?  
"Five days ago," she muttered. Sano nearly choked in surprise. No wonder she had broken into the storage room. He silently gawked at her as she kept her head hung gloomily. He looked at the several riceballs that were still in his lap, then at the dejected looking figure at his side.

His conscience was stronger than he thought.

"Here," he said, holding out a riceball to her. She looked up at him in surprise.

"I thought you didn't give food to the prisoners," she said, arching an eyebrow.

"I lied," Sanosuke said, grinning apprehensively at her. She returned a small smile, then took the riceball gingerly.

In a few seconds it was gone.

"Gods, you eat faster than me and Katsu combined," Sano remarked as he held out another riceball, which she took gratefully. Soon that was also completely gone.

"I told you, I'm hungry," she smiled as she licked off a few grains of rice from her fingers. She looked up at him gratefully. "Thank you." Sano shrugged, trying not to look too pleased with himself.

"No problem," he grinned widely at her through the bars. "I'm Sanosuke, by the way, junior soldier of the Sekiho army." She smiled felinishly at his proud grin.

"I'm Kyouri," she replied happily as she held her hand out for another riceball hopefully. "Very hungry prisoner of the Sekiho army."

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Note: The prologue's gonna be a few chapters long, so, er, bear with me.

I must say I'm proud of myself for making this chapter less than a billion words long! Personally, this is my least favorite chapter and I think the next one's better (wow, isn't this story off to a great start?). Still, I hope it was at least passable! PLEASE leave a review! I need the feed back!!

To the (two) people that might care, I haven't abandoned my other fic. I'm just having a brutal writers block on that story.

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Please, PLEASE review!!

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	2. Prologue Part 2

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-Prologue: Part 2

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She yawned widely as she stepped out of the room she shared with the other women, rubbing the sleep out of her half open eyes. She hated getting up early, and, so far, that was the only complaint she had come up with.

She watched as the shabby buildings of the camp around her glowed with the creeping sunlight, as if they had been bathed in gold. She breathed in deeply and exhaled slowly as sounds of awakening began to fill the stirring camp. She smiled softly as she walked to the kitchen.

"Ah, Kyouri-chan, ohayo!" one of the ladies said cheerfully. "We need you to fetch water from the river. Here." She handed Kyouri two wooden pails that were slung on each end of a long stick. Kyouri held back the annoyed look on her face and took the buckets and rested the stick on her shoulder.

"All right!" she exclaimed a little too happily, matching the woman's zealousness with a fake smile. "I'll be back soon!" Kyouri _hated_ getting up at dawn, and was always kind of grouchy until at least ten in the morning.

It had been about two weeks since she had arrived at the Sekihoutai's base, she mused to herself as she walked out of the camp to the river nearby. She had finished "working off her debt," as Captain Sagara Souzou had put it, a while ago (besides, it's not like she had gotten away with stealing and the food had been returned). But no one had objected when she didn't leave, and she was actually quite happy to stay. The conditions in the camp were a thousand times better than the rest of Japan. Food, shelter, and learning how to cook, what more could she ask for?

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She kneeled down and tipped the bucket into the stream, watching as it quickly filled with crystal clear water. She heaved herself and the bucket back up as she walked back to the bank. As she set the bucket down an eerie chill ran down her spine.

She shivered slightly and stood up, trying to act as if nothing happened. She picked up the other bucket and began to fill it too, but as she did, she could feel a pair of eyes on her back. She stood up again, not moving as she gripped the bucket tightly, straining her nerves while trying to find the source of discomfort.

She couldn't help her mind from wandering from her task and her concentration waning as she thought of the question that was boring its way into her mind. Had they found her? Were they here to take her back, after all this time? Honestly, she couldn't see how she had managed to avoid them for so long. Still, it could only be a matter of time before they found her again and took her back to him…

"WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!!" A scream pierced through her thoughts and frayed her nerves as she jumped and yelped with surprise. The bucket of water went flying straight up from her arms, and she could only watch in horror as all the water poured down on her, completely soaking her. She was breathing heavily as water dripped off her hair and adrenaline coursed through her veins. After the ringing died down in her ears she could hear the sound of someone laughing _very__loudly_ behind her.

Sanosuke was practically rolling on the ground as he roared with laugher, tears of mirth in his eyes as he watched her hilarious reaction.

"I… can't… believe… I scared you… so bad!" he managed to say between gasps for air and loud guffaws. He watched as she slowly clenched her fists tightly, a fiery and dangerous air suddenly surrounding her. She turned around slowly to face him, a strained smile glued onto her face as her eyes spat fire at him. He stopped laughing instantly as he clamped his mouth shut.

A few seconds later his was flying through the air straight into the river. He shot up and gasped for air, his face slightly pink after belly flopping into the water.

"Sano no baka!!" she yelled at him angrily as she pointed an accusing finger at him. "I hope that teaches you to _never sneak up on me_!"

"Geez, what's the big deal?" he exclaimed as he swam back to shore. "Can't you handle a little fun?" She shot him a look of daggers as she squeezed the water out of her hair.

"I. _Hate_. Getting. Wet," she hissed through clenched teeth as she began to wring the sleeves of her gi.

"Ah, so you do have a weakness," Sano said with an evil grin as he shook the water out of his hair furiously. She flinched as droplets of water sprayed her once again, and seemed about ready to throttle him, but instead bent down calmly. She picked up the bucket of water, and the thought of being pummeled by it crossed Sano's mind. Instead, however, she stuck it out in front of her.

"Fill it up," she growled dangerously. He would've refused, but the murderous look in her eyes creeped him out. He snatched it out of her hands irritatingly and stalked back to the bank. He quickly filled it up and walked back to her.

"Here you go, Kyouri-sama," he grumbled as he held it out to her. She narrowed her eyes into yet another death glare, then grabbed it and walked to the other bucket. Soon she had finished tying them to the pole, and she stood up with them balanced on her shoulder.

"Sano," she said, not turning to see him and her voice considerably calmer. "Please don't do that again." She began to walk away as Sanosuke was left with a surprised look on his face. Had he really scared her that bad?

The all too familiar pang of regret shot through him.

He groaned as he hung his head for a moment, then hurried to catch up to her.

"Here, I'll carry it," he said as he evened strides with her, grabbing the pole and pulling it towards him. She suddenly stopped and glared at him.

"Leave me alone!" she exclaimed suddenly. "I can do it myself!" She snapped her mouth shut as her eyes widened, as if just realizing what she had said.

"Say what?" Sano asked, an eyebrow disappearing under his headband.

"Oh, sorry Sano," she laughed nervously. "I guess I overreacted."

"Um, so does that mean you don't want me to help?" He gestured to the pole, a puzzled expression still on his face.

"Uh, yeah, sure, here," she said, handing the water to him absent mindedly.

"Are you okay?"

"Uh huh… fine…"

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"_Give me that, you can't carry it."_

"_Leave me alone. I can do it myself! See?"_

"_You're going to drop it. Give it to me."_

"_But I can carry it, mommy, watch!"_

_Crash!_

"_Oh! You stupid girl! I told you you couldn't carry the tray!"_

"_I-I'm sorry, mommy… I t-tripped… The ki-kimomo…"_

_Sigh._

"_Why couldn't you have been a boy?"_

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"Kyouri? Hello?" Sano said as he waved his hand in her face. She snapped out of her flashback and looked up at him suddenly in surprise.

"Nani? (-What?-)" she said, trying to regain her composure.

"I have to get going now." She seemed slightly confused until she looked around and realized that they were already standing outside the kitchen. He had set the buckets of water by the door and was giving her a look of concern.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked worriedly.

"Yeah," she replied, flashing a strained smile. "You should get going, you're gonna be late."

"Nah, I'm already late." He wanted to make sure she was okay. Especially if it was his fault she was so out of it.

"Oi! Sanosuke!" a boy's voice called from behind Sano. Katsu ran up to both of them, slightly out of breath and looking peeved. "Where've you been? I've been looking all over for you! I'm must've circled the camp, like, five times!"

"Hey Katsu," Sano replied indifferently, ignoring his complaints. "I was, er, held up."

"Obviously," Katsu said as he shot a glare at Kyouri behind Sanosuke. She returned the gesture by sticking out her tongue at him. He grimaced and hardened his glare at her, but she easily beat him with an unwavering and menacing gaze from her piercing green eyes. Katsu shuddered, feeling a wave of fear creep up his spine and make the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. There was that feeling again.

It was as if he was in danger just being around her.

"Come on, Sanosuke," Katsu said as he broke the staring contest and began to walk away. "The Captain's waiting for you." Sano gave a nervous glance at Kyouri, wanting to go with Katsu but also needing to make sure she was okay.

"Go, Sanosuke, or you can get in trouble by the Captain," she said as gave him a reassuring smile, then turned him around and shoved him away down the path. "Get going!"

"Fine! Whatever! Ja ne!" He waved and trotted away, hurrying to catch up with Katsu. She grinned at his retreating form, feeling the oppressive feeling in her chest finally recede. She watched him disappear, then picked up the water and stepped into the kitchen.

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"Hey," Sano said in greeting as he walked over to her. "Fetching more water?"

"If I was, I'd be running away from you right now," she replied good naturedly. "You're a danger around wooden objects filled with aqueous solution." He grinned as he sat down besides her. They sat in silence for a while, an easy air around them, as they watched the sun begin to set slowly. It washed the river in beautiful swirls of deep oranges and reds, making it seem like a river of gold.

"Did you get in trouble?" he asked, still facing the river.

"A little," she sighed. "If I'd gotten the water there sooner, breakfast wouldn't have been late. Still, I think I got off easy. How about you?"

"Eh, same, I guess," he shrugged. "Katsu kept bugging me about being late, but it wasn't really a big deal and the Captain shrugged it off." She nodded sleepily in response, then they settled back into the relaxed silence.

"Can I ask you something?" he asked softly, not wanting to disrupt the calm atmosphere. She nodded lazily as she tilted her head slightly to the side. "Why did you freak out when I offered to help?" She was silent for a while, and he wondered if she had heard him.

"I dunno…" she shrugged finally. He raised his eyebrows at her.

"Is that all?" he asked. She frowned slightly, her eyebrows knitting together. After a moment of him looking at her intently, silently telling her to elaborate, she sighed heavily and turned to look at him.

"It's just…" she began slowly, as if picking out words carefully. "It's just… I hate it when people don't think I can do something myself. Everyone I've been around has always done things for me because they never think I'm capable. If I was a boy like you, they'd probably be asking me to do everything."

"Oh…." That wasn't expected. What could he answer something like that with? He went to the alternative and instead attempted to lighten the mood. "Is that why you're dressed as a tomboy?" She frowned, quirking an eyebrow at him, looking down at her clothes. She was wearing almost exactly what Sanosuke was wearing: a long sleeved gi with pants and an undershirt, except hers didn't have any stripes showing rank and was a sky blue instead of white. Her shoulder length messy brown hair probably hadn't been combed in days and seemed to have been cut unevenly.

"I wear these because they're comfortable, baka," she said glaring at him, though there was a shadow of a smile on her face. "Kimono's are too stuffy." He just grinned, blowing off the comment. They sat in silence for a few minutes.

"Did people around you really think that?" Sano asked thoughtfully. "At my house, my mom and little sister had to help with the farming just as much as I did." She sighed heavily once again.

"Everyone I knew thought girls are useless."

"Everyone?" He doubted _everyone_ thought that.

"Well… okay, not everyone," she said finally, raising her head and smiling slightly. The smile however, melted away as quickly as it had appeared. "But to me… my mother was everyone." She chuckled weakly, as if reliving an amusingly painful memory. "I always knew my mom wanted a boy instead of a girl." Sano thought for a moment, knowing that he was trekking through uncharted territory. He didn't know anything about her family or past, so now was a good time to find some stuff out.

"So… did you run away?" he asked, glancing at her (A/N: oh yah, very tact…). She looked pensive for a moment.

"I did run away," she said slowly, thinking as she talked, "but not from her."

"Who from then?" She didn't answer, however, and just shrugged and looked up at him, flashing a rueful smile that made her look more exhausted than he had ever seen her.

"It's getting late, don't you think?" she said, getting up and not really waiting for a response. "I'm tired, I think I'll turn in. Oyasumi nasai, Sano. (-Good night, Sano.-)"

"Hai, good night," he responded as he watched her go. Had he said something wrong? Maybe he had been prying in too much. Her family was obviously still a touchy subject. Maybe in a few weeks she would be more willing to talk.

Come to think of it, he hadn't talked to anyone about his family, and no one had even asked where he came from.

He thought about his dad, rough and outgoing, his little sister who always followed him around calling out his name, and his mom, who's touch was always tender and full of love, no matter how calloused her hands were from using the farm tools. He wondered how the fields of daikon were doing, and if maybe they missed him like he sometimes missed them…

After a few more silent minutes of watching the sun sink lower and lower, he yawned and got up, also heading in to bed.

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Note:

Oooh, hints about her past! I'm sure you're _dying_ to know. It's gonna keep you up at night, isn't it? Huh huh?

Ugh, I'm annoying myself. Okay! Moving on!

**Reviewer Responses:**

**WhiteRabbit5**: Phooey, grammar (shudder). I _hate_ grammar, though I always try to have it right since I'm such an annoying perfectionist. Thanks for pointing that out, I'll try to keep an eye out for future nasty pronouns :). I'm glad you like Sano-chan, and I did try to make him easygoing, since that's how I imagined he was before the whole my-role-model-was-shot-and-betrayed-so-I-hate-all-patriots-DIE(!!) thing. I'll make sure he stays more in character when he's older. Ano, why would you think I wouldn't want you to review my stuff? It's awesome getting reviews from you; they're always so insightful and help boost my morale a lot, not to mention they make really good points on how to improve. If you don't review, I'll be stuck with mostly my sister's feedback, which consists of "yep, it's good," followed by bobbing her head up and down for a few minutes as if confirming what she said. So please keep reviewing as long as you keep reading! And I hope you get out of your writers block soon! (Must…know…what happens to Naruku…)

**EvilPinkFuzzelofDoom:** (awesome name). I'm glad you think it's, er, interesting! Gomen, I figured "tai" was another suffix like "gumi" or "shu," since in the manga (in English) they call it the "Sekiho Army." In any case, it's shorter and takes up less space in the summary. Thanks for reading! 

So, yeah… PLEASE REVIEW!! CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM WELCOME!! JUST _PLEASE_ DON'T FLAME! (unnecessary, that it is).

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Push da button! Review!

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	3. Prologue Part 3

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-Prologue: Part 3

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_A little girl laughed as she ran and hopped through her garden, stopping to smell all the colorful flowers and look at all the bugs, dancing with the soft breeze and grinning back at the beaming sun. She hopped and ran until she was out of breath, then she twirled down to meet the soft grass with the side of her face, giggling as it tickled and embraced her cheek fondly. She turned and tilted her head up to the sea of clouds above her, smiling and laughing with the passengers on the boats of white as they waved at her happily._

_Life was perfect._

_The same little girl, now a little older, was running towards two figures that were standing on the edge of a dark land, waiting for her. She threw her small arms around the taller figure, and her father returned the embrace warmly as her mother cheerfully beckoned for them to follow down the path. The little girl took both their hands and walked between them._

_Unwittingly, the girl was led out of her garden of happiness into their world of reality._

_The dark red blackness seeped into the ground around her. She looked around, bewildered. She seeked the hand of her father, but found that he wasn't standing besides her anymore. She followed the stream of inky blood with her eyes and realized that it was coming from him, his body sprawled all over the ash grey ground._

_The small girl, now frightened, clasped her mother's hand and looked up at her for comfort. Her mother, however, didn't look down at her, but simply shook her hand out of her daughter's small fingers._

_The girl found herself in a small room, looking out the tiny window at the figure of her mother as she walked solemnly down an ashy path, stepping out of her world and into another, leaving her daughter behind._

_-Why did you leave me here?-_

_The tall brooding man standing besides her smiled reassuringly, flashing large white teeth at the little girl._

_-Your mother may hate you, but you can stay here with me, as your father intended.-_

_He reached across and put his arm on the girl's shoulder, giving her a reassuring squeeze that unnerved and scared her more than anything._

_The girl bit her lip and held in a whimper when she saw the inky dark liquid that seemed to permanently stain his hand. She looked up at him, her cat-like green eyes meeting his, and saw that his were the same exact color as the liquid that was now oozing down her shoulder._

_Father's blood._

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Her eyes snapped open as she lay in bed, her body scrunched into a ball and her chest rising and falling rapidly. She sat up abruptly, seeing that it was almost dawn and that there were a few people that were now getting up. No one noticed her, however, seeing as how she hardly ever made noise, even after she had just woken up from a nightmare.

It was strange that she'd start dreaming about that now. After nearly two months with the Sekihoutai, she thought she had left that life way behind her.

Was it catching up?

Was he catching up?

She shuddered involuntarily at the thought of those dark red eyes.

She shook the thoughts from her head, her brown hair whipping the sides of her face. She couldn't think like that. Not now.

She crawled out of bed and began to dress like usual. After all, she had work to do…

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Sanosuke gave a huge yawn as he half dragged his feet, feeling boredness ooze into the depths of his mind. He was, once again, on guard duty, and was, once again, feeling as if his brain had completely shut off from lack of excitement.

Well, there was one consolation prize…

"I can't believe I'm stuck with you," scowled Katsuhiro as he also shuffled along besides Sanosuke. Sano just grinned. Seeing Katsu this miserable was almost worth it.

Apparently, the other soldiers weren't about to forget one little mistake so easily. They decided that if Sano was gonna do guard duty, then he should do it right. And if he had to do it right, then someone had to keep an eye on him.

At least, that was how it was explained to Katsu.

Katsu, although feeling a little swell of pride for being assigned to watch over the idiot rooster, now realized that this was more punishment than anything else.

"This is all your fault," Katsu mumbled wearily. Sano shot him a dirty look as they trudged along. Sano didn't feel like arguing with the annoyed boy, and an uneasy silence quickly blanketed them.

"Hmm, I wonder what we'll be having for dinner," Sano mused to himself to break the awkward silence, "I guess I'll ask Kyouri later…" Katsu pulled a face at the mention of Kyouri's name, which Sano noticed. "What?" Katsu just grunted in reply, not really wanting to answer. "What?" Sano kept pressing him until Katsu finally gave in.

"I don't… like her," her muttered. "She's so… menacing…" Sanosuke gave his friend a funny look, that is, until he burst out laughing.

"Menacing??" he exclaimed. "Kyouri? Yeah right!"

"Shut up, baka!" Katsu retorted quickly. "I mean it! I mean, the way she gives those looks from her creepy green eyes, and the weird feeling you get from being around her... It's disturbing!" Sano stopped laughing and suddenly took on a serious face. It was true, there was something about Kyouri that tended to make other people avoid her. In fact, no one but Sanosuke and the Captain had willingly talked to her the entire time she had been at the base. But Sanosuke just figured it was how she was, just like Katsuhiro had the capability to depress everyone around him.

And yet he still hung out with both of them.

"So?" he snorted. "You're weird too, but you don't see her complaining about it."

"Maybe she should, if she feels as if she's in danger around me."

"That's taking it a little too far, Katsu," Sano said, giving him an admonishing glare. Katsu just shrugged and looked away.

"Just forget it," he mumbled. "Forget I said anything." Sano shrugged.

The tense air quickly settled over them once again as they continued walking in silence, except this time no one made a move to break it.

-

-

" 'Fetch water, fetch water,' I always have to fetch the water," she grumbled to herself as she walked down the slope that led to the river. "I can do other stuff too, you know." She reached the bank and unhooked the buckets that were swinging from the pole on her shoulder. She filled one up and was about to fill another when her blood froze.

Someone was watching her.

She turned around calmly, expecting to see the loud tori-atama rooster head making his way down to her, but instead found the large hill of swaying grass unsettlingly empty. She frowned and shook off the strange feeling, then returned to her task.

It happened again.

Her skin prickled with nervousness and she held in a slight gasp as she felt a pair of ominous eyes watching her. She looked around again, and found herself alone.

"Sano, cut it out!" she yelled out. "I know you're there! Just come out already!" A gust of wind suddenly picked up, making the trees and grass rustle loudly as her hair whipped around her face.

There was no one there.

Her heart began to beat faster as she hooked up the filled buckets to the pole and hurriedly began to walk up the slope.

Someone was following her.

She could feel it.

She began to trot as perspiration mounted on her forehead. Her heart jumped and she turned her head around quickly, but found no one there. She broke into a run, ignoring the small splashes of water that lapped out of the bucket.

The hairs on the back of her neck were still standing straight up and goose bumps covered her arms when she finally reached the kitchen in the camp. She rubbed her neck, but still couldn't stop her skin from prickling. A slight rustle of some trees made her jump in surprise.

"Kyouri-chan, are you all right?" asked one of the kitchen ladies that had come out for the water. Kyouri looked up, surprised.

"Oh, hai hai," she said with a smile on her face. "I just need to use the toilet and I'll be right back."

"All right, just don't tardy." Kyouri nodded in response as she walked off.

The feeling was still with her as she rounded the corner, her heart beating irregularly fast and her breath coming out in short gasps.

They had followed her into the camp.

She clenched her hands into fists as she suddenly sprinted down the path, dodging the soldiers and ignoring their protests as she shot through the camp, hurtling blindly down random paths. As she ran, her sensitive ears picked up the sound of light feet stepping rhythmically on the roofs after her.

She wasn't imagining it. They had found her.

She picked up speed as she rounded a corner and threw open a door, flinging herself into the building and slamming the slide shut behind her. She backed up against the wall of what she realized was one of the storage rooms, then slumped down and hugged her knees.

She couldn't go back. She'd run away before they could make her.

The pounding of her heart in her ears and her ragged breath nearly drowned out everything around her, except the sound of approaching steps. They were walking straight towards the door that was in front of her, taking large and deliberate strides. She could almost feel the person outside as they reached for the door, preparing to open it in a matter of seconds.

She could bolt, she could still run out the door right now and maybe avoid them.

But as she heard the very real crunch of feet in the gravel outside she realized she couldn't move. She was paralyzed with fear.

The door suddenly slid wide open as a pathetic whimper escaped her lips. Her white knuckled hands were still gripping her pants tightly as she saw the figure standing in the doorway.

"S-sano?" she managed to force out of her throat. The young boy stood in the doorway, afternoon sun filtering in around him and making his body seem as if it was lined with gold.

"Kyouri? What's wrong?" he asked as he stepped in, noticing her wide eyes and feeble position. Hearing his voice made the truth of him standing in front of her and not her captor finally sink in, and she let out her baited breath in loud gasps for air as she unclenched her fists.

Kyouri's terror was almost tangible in the air around them, and it only made Sanosuke's worry grow more and more as he stepped up to her hunched body cautiously.

"I saw you run in here," Sano explained. "You seemed as if you were running from something, so I, er, came to see if you were okay." She blinked up at him as if just realizing he was there, then let go of her legs as they stretched out in front of her and rested her head on the wall behind her.

"Oh, I-I'm okay, Sano," she answered feebly. "I just got a little jumpy." Sano arched an eyebrow. He had never imagined _her_ of being jumpy of anything. She just didn't seem like the type to start crying or freaking out whenever there was a mouse around or something like his little sister usually did.

"Jumpy? Jumpy of what?" he asked as he sat down besides her.

"N-nothing," she said with a hollow laugh. "I'm just acting weird."

"Come on Kyouri," he said as he furrowed his eyebrows. "You're my friend and there's obviously something wrong. What is it?" She turned and looked at him suddenly, looking as if he had just started speaking a foreign language.

"I'm your friend?" she asked, astounded. He rubbed the back of his head, wondering why in the world she was acting like she was.

"Of course you're my friend. Geez, where've you been? Now, are you gonna answer the question?" She, however, just turned her head and looked straight ahead, her face still surprised. He was the first friend she'd ever had and she didn't even know it? Where _had_ she been?

"Kyouri? Hello…?" He waved his hand in front of her face as she suddenly snapped back to reality. "Are you okay? You're getting me all worried." She looked at him, her fluorescent green eyes meeting his honey brown ones, and saw the concern flashing through them.

"You are?" she asked, eyes wide.

"Will you cut out the amazed face thing??" he replied sharply. "Is it really that shocking that a friend is worried about you??" She didn't answer right away as he frowned at her exasperatedly. A few seconds of suspended silence clicked by.

Suddenly, a grin broke out on her face as she beamed happily at him.

"I've never had a friend before," she giggled. "Anything I should know?"

"I'm not joking!" he snapped.

"Neither am I," she replied softly. He was taken aback by faraway look in her eyes and sadness in her voice. The annoyed anger that had been building up in him suddenly ebbed away.

"Um, well," he faltered. "Just trust me and tell me if anything's wrong." She smiled yet again.

"I'm fine Sanosuke, really."

"I don't believe you," he said, narrowing his eyes at her and making her laugh. She got up, still laughing, and dusted herself off.

"Really, I am." She held her hand out for him to help him up, and he took it with a more or less perplexed look on his face. "Thank you."

"Um, you're welcome?" he replied, not sure what he was being thanked for. She, however, was unfazed by his baffled attitude and just kept grinning.

"I'd better get back to the kitchens. See you later!" she waved at him cheerfully as she walked out the door and sprinted, more cautiously this time, down the path.

"What just happened?" he asked himself as he watched her disappear around a corner. He frowned and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Man, girls are so weird." He sighed and also walked away back to his chores.

-

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Note: I'm not as satisfied with this chapter as I think I should be, but I've done the best I can.

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If you're reading this, please review! It'd be really rude (and evil) if you didn't. Tell me why you hated it or liked it, I don't care! I just need some feedback, people! Constructive criticism welcome, and tone down flames a bit so I'll only get singed and not crispy.

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Arigato gozaimasu!

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REVIEW!

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	4. Prologue Part 4

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-Prolouge: Part 4

_-_

_"Hee hee, men don't wear necklaces, daddy."_

_"Ha ha, this one does."_

_"Why?"_

_"Why not? Don't you think it's pretty?"_

_"Hmm, yes, daddy, it's a very pretty red necklace."_

_Grin. "Well, I'll give it to you someday, how's that?"_

_"Okay!"_

_-_

_"Did you think you were going to get away with this?"_

_"…"_

_"Trying to run away to the continent. Feh, pathetic. You realize I have to take payment for this."_

_"J-just don't hurt her, she didn't know…"_

_"…Until your daughter was born."_

_"… yes…"_

_"Heh, don't worry. I have no need for her. My niece, on the other hand…"_

_"Stay away from her!"_

_"Just be glad you won't live long enough to see her become a murderer."_

_"Monster…"_

_"Yes I am. Just like you, little brother."_

_-_

_"You're our cousin, aren't you?"_

_"Y-yes."_

_"Pfft, she can't even talk right. What a baby."_

_"I'm not!"_

_Smirk. "Yes you are. An ugly one too."_

_"I'm not…"_

_"Ugly baby. No wonder your mommy left you here."_

_"She's coming back…"_

_"Yeah right, who told you that?"_

_"No one…"_

_"Face it, you're all alone. Besides us, that is." Grin. "Yeah, welcome to hell."_

-

"Kyouri! Wake up!! You're letting it burn!"

"Huh?" Kyouri said, snapping out of her reminiscence. She looked up at the angry cook standing over her, then smelled the burned fish. "Oh no!" she exclaimed, looking down at the charred fish she had been grilling.

"Honestly, Kyouri!" she scolded. "You've been wandering off all day! Would you please come back from wherever you are in that thick head of yours?"

"Hai, gomen nasai," Kyouri muttered as she turned back to the grill. The lady gave a final humph as she stalked off back inside. Kyouri sighed heavily, picking up the fan and turning over the fish.

The same memories of looking at her father's fiery red necklace, which she was now gripping tightly in her spare hand, the few moments before her father's death, and meeting her cousins for the first time kept replaying over and over again in her mind. She gave a weary sigh as she fanned the fish listlessly.

She thought she could leave whenever she wanted. In fact, she had been getting ready to leave for two days now. But, she found she couldn't.

She didn't want to leave him.

Sanosuke was the first person that was actually nice to her. He joked around and laughed with her, and even became concerned about her after she began to get absorbed in memories. People tended to stay away from her, unless they felt they had authority over her, as was the case with the cooks, but the other junior soldiers in the camp never talked to her or approached her.

Especially Katsuhiro. He'd climb a mountain to avoid her.

She was certain he could feel it more than anyone else.

Sano either didn't feel it, or didn't care.

She hoped he didn't care. Either way, she was still happy to have him around.

She could stay in the camp with him. But, eventually they'd fetch her and take her back. They hadn't yet, but she knew the person that had stalked her two days ago was going to return. The only question was when they would.

If she left, she could maybe get away from them by always moving around. It wouldn't be so hard to get lost in all of Japan.

But if she did that, she may never see Sanosuke again.

But if she got caught, it's not like she'd see him anyway.

She sighed wearily as her mind went in circles. She wished there was a way to shut it off, just for a little while. She clenched her father's necklace tightly in her hand as she often did when she was nervous, scared, or both.

"Hey Kyouri!" the boy that had been rampant in her thoughts suddenly walked up to her, a bundle of firewood tied to his back. He noticed her hand clutching the necklace. "What's that?" She blinked and looked down at her fist.

"Oh, it's just an old necklace that I got from my father," she responded casually, finally letting go of the warmed stone.

"Cool," he grinned. "Can I see?" She nodded as she pulled the necklace out as far as it would go. He leaned in to get a better look.

"Incredible," he gasped as his eyebrows arched. "I've never seen anything so pretty." She muffled a giggle at the thought of him saying the word "pretty," then looked up at him smiling. "It must mean a lot to you if it belonged to your dad." She looked down at the deep red stone, turning it in the sun and watching the shoots of gold that flashed through it. It was more than that, it was her lifeline in this world.

"Yeah, I guess," she shrugged. He grinned at her one last time as he began to unload the firewood into a pile besides her. She watched him, her mind resuming its earlier battle.

"Hey, Sano?" she said softly. He looked up at her expectantly. "Could you meet me after dinner today by the river? I need to talk to you." He seemed slightly surprised. She didn't usually ask him to meet her, usually they just went to the river when they felt like it, and bumped into each other occasionally.

"Um, yeah, sure," he responded as he stood up.

"Thanks," she smiled. He grinned and walked away, giving her a wave. She watched as he disappeared down the hill, feeling a throb of sadness in her chest.

-

-

The sun had set and the night was quiet. The only sounds in the air were those of the small crickets that sang into the darkness. He walked down the slope silently, feeling his way through the tall grass and concentrating on not tripping. He reached the bank and looked up, and realized that she was sitting on a large log, watching the dark river flow into the pitch black night.

"Hey," he said as he sat down besides her. She didn't look up at him, but a small smile on her face showed that she knew he was there. They sat in the silence for a while as she continued watching the river, deep in thought.

Sanosuke shifted uncomfortably. An ominous feeling was tying his stomach into a knot.

"So," he said as casually as he could. "You wanted to talk to me?" She nodded slowly, still watching the river. She could feel his discomfort and sighed audibly, looking up straight ahead.

"This is really a great spot," she said just softly enough that he could barely hear her. "I've enjoyed all the times we talked here." A chill of anxiety ran up Sanosuke's spine as the knot became tighter. He didn't like the foreboding way she was talking.

"Yeah," he replied. "We should come down here more often at night. It's… nice." There was a soft smile on her lips that was hard to distinguish in the half light.

"Sorry Sano," she whispered. "I won't be able to come here anymore." Sano felt his shoulders tense suddenly.

"What do you mean?" he asked slowly.

"I'm leaving." She said those words with such finality that Sano felt a lead weight of dread descend on his chest.

He didn't want her to leave anywhere.

"What?" His voice wavered slightly with panic.

"The war's almost over, and I'm not really all that needed here. I'm going off to see the rest of Japan."

"Why? Why don't you just wait until the war really is over? It's still dangerous out there!" She hung her head so that her features were hidden from him, then slid off the log and stood up.

"Can I tell you something, Sano?" she asked softly with her back towards him, wringing her hands together. There was a lump in his throat that prevented him from saying anything, so he simply nodded. "I'm running." Her voice was sad, regretful. Sanosuke choked down the lump and managed to say something.

"From what?"

"From him. And I'll keep running to stay away from him. I'd rather go to the ends of the earth than be brought back to him, and that's exactly what I'll do."

"You don't have to," he said hopefully. "Captain Sagara will talk to him, and you can stay here." She turned to look at him, her green eyes bright with unshed tears. She smiled ruefully.

"He's stronger than Captain Sagara." Sanosuke was at a loss for words. How could he be stronger than the Captain? "I have to go Sano. I'm leaving tonight. Right now." Sano was silent for a moment, then stood up, facing her.

"Please don't," he quietly pleaded. "We can work something out. We'll get the Captain or someone to help. You can stay here." She kept smiling, her expression sad and almost hopeful.

"I'm sorry, Sano," she whispered. "I have to." Sano's shoulders slumped sadly as he sighed and hung his head.

"Are you mad?" she asked softly as she watched his head hang. He shook his head slowly, then brought it up, a transparent smile glued to his face. He reached behind his head, undoing the knot that held his headband in place.

"Here," he said, holding the long red ribbon out to her. "You're still a Sekihoutai. It's a goodbye present." She looked at it, her eyes brimming with tears. She shut her eyes tightly, trying to hold them in, but some managed to squeeze out. She held out her hand and gingerly took the gift. She examined the course fabric for a second, trying to get her throat to slack so she could talk again.

"Thank you," she whispered hoarsely. He managed a small grin, a shrug running through his shoulders. She took in a deep breath, feeling tears welling in her eyes again, then stepped towards him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him into an embrace. She could feel his surprise as he tentatively brought his arms up, returning the embrace. She could hear his breathing, and could tell that he was struggling not to cry.

Would he also be the first to cry for her?

"We'll meet again," she whispered near his ear. "I'm sure of it." He gulped, tightening his hold around her slightly, silently telling her to stay. He took in a deep breath to steady himself, and at the same time inhaled the smell of her hair.

It was the smell of something familiar. He just wasn't sure what.

"Goodbye, Sanosuke," he heard her say. Before he knew it, she had pulled away and was walking down the river. He stood still, completely stunned and unable to say anything as she walked away, into the darkness.

A single tear rolled down his cheek.

-

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Note: Sano? Crying? Wha…?

I'm really worried that her goodbye sounded really corny. I was trying to make it sad, did it work?

I realized while I was writing this that it's kind of like Kenshin's goodbye to Kaoru when he leaves for Kyoto. I mean, there are some similarities, I'll admit that. But I really wasn't trying to copy Watsuki-sensei's most touching scene! Really! (don't hurt me!). Besides, there are differences in the circumstances and the way it was played out (Kenshin wasn't crying, Kyouri was, Kaoru yelled after Kenshin, Sano didn't, blah blah blah…). So please don't yell at me for that.

The prologue's almost done! One last chapter to tie things together, then we head off to the eleventh year of the Meiji!

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Please review!

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	5. Prologue Conclusion

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Finals and the semester are over!! YAY! WINTER BREAK!!

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-Prologue: Conclusion

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-

"Finally, I was wondering if you forgot or something," Katsu said crossly to Sano as he stood up straight. "You can leave after an h-h-hour," he said as he failed to stifle a yawn. "I'm getting to bed."

"Uh huh," Sanosuke responded rather unenthusiastically as he walked past Katsu, ignoring the look he got from him. He walked to the edge of the small tower that was on one of the sides of the gate, propping his elbows on the edge. A large silver moon hung in the corner of the sky as the night buzzed and chirped under him. Sano sighed heavily, hardly paying attention to the path that he was supposed to be watching ahead of him.

It had been two weeks since that night by the river, and it all seemed so surreal to him. Sometimes he expected to see her standing in the kitchen or by the river, waiting to talk to him, and, honestly, his heart still skipped a beat every time he looked, although it was always in false hopes.

He knew it was true.

She was gone.

And not only that, but she ran away.

From what? He wasn't sure, but he deemed it irrelevant. He had taken everything about her for granted. She was Kyouri, resolute and strong, no matter what were the odds. There was that one time she seemed scared out of her wits, but that hadn't lasted long. She just wasn't one to get scared and run off, and he had never even seen her cry in all the time he knew her until she said goodbye. If someone had told him that she was a scared little girl that ran away, he would've laughed.

But now he saw that she was just like everyone else: she had weaknesses.

What about all the other people he knew or even looked up to? What weaknesses did they have hidden?

What about Captain Sagara?

_He's different_, he told himself firmly. _He would never give up on the Sekihoutai_. No, the Captain wouldn't give up on his dream, which Sano knew well since it had been recited with the same fervor to him on several occasions, not that he got tired of hearing it. It instilled hope in him; made him feel that he was doing the right thing here with the Sekihoutai instead of helping his father work to feed his family back at Shinsu.

This was for the good of Japan, and his family.

_Kyouri…_

Had she given up hope on her dreams, whatever they may have been? He realized now that he had often told her his dream of following the Captain and becoming someone instead of being one of the many faceless farmers, but he had never asked her what she wanted to do…

Maybe, what she did was for the good of her dream… Wherever she was, she was probably happy… That was more than he could hope for, right?

Then why did he feel so miserable? Why was he so unwilling to accept the fact that she was somewhere out there… without him?

_"We'll meet again… I'm sure of it."_

_I'll be waiting, Kyouri, and then maybe you can tell me why…_

Sano sighed heavily, his head aching after pounding over so many things at once, her voice was echoing those seven words over and over again; it wasn't helping his headache…

"H-help… please…" A feeble voice suddenly snapped him out of his thoughts. He looked down to see two people, one hanging limply from another's shoulder.

"Who's there?" he yelled down, glad for the distraction from his incessant thoughts.

"S-sekihoutai from the Usui cliff…" he called up weakly. Sanosuke wasted no time and jumped down the steps two at a time, rang the bell that called for the others, and began to open the gate. Soon a group of men had flooded out to meet the two wounded soldiers.

"What is it?" a guard asked the one that had called up to Sano while others took the unconscious man to the infirmary. The soldier seemed to be on the verge of passing out, but he managed a few words before he did:

"We… false army… slaughtered…"

-

-

"Ano, ma'am, I finished what you asked," she said with the cheesiest smile she could muster. "Here's the receipt from the clinic." She held out a small piece of paper to the lady behind the counter. The woman took it and examined it, giving her a critical look behind the paper as Kyouri struggled to keep the expression that threatened to fall off her face.

Finally, the lady broke out in a smile and said, "So you have. Here you are." She handed Kyouri a few coins, which she took eagerly.

"Hai, arigato gozaimasu!" she replied, bowing her head, then shuffling out of the clinic quickly. Once outside, she flipped the coins in the air happily before pocketing them.

She had decided to avoid stealing, her time with the Sekihoutai had indeed been very enlightening. Now she just had to look for work every now and then, and, honestly, it really wasn't so bad. Just put on an angelic face and make sure you don't look too much like a street urchin, and ta da! You're hired! Just deliver this to a friend, or go fetch this for me, blah blah blah…

She walked down the not-so-busy main street of the small town, a slight bounce in her step as she made her way to the market. She was so busy thinking of what she was going to cook that night that she didn't notice the hunched figure heading her way.

Before she could react she had been knocked down as the person shoved her roughly, landing on her rump in a highly undignified manner. The person, however, didn't say anything and just kept going.

"Baka!" she yelled after him as she got up and dusted herself off. "Watch where you're going!" As she fixed her clothes, she realized there was a comforting lump missing from her pocket. Realization dawned on her as she whirled around to see the figure picking up his pace as he walked away briskly. "HEY!!"

She bolted after him, running at full speed which was fast enough to scare her prey into sprinting into a nearby alley. She chased after him, turning sharp corners with amazing agility as he led the way to the outskirts of the town. He was fast, but not as agile as she was, and after dodging so many corners and pedestrians, he was finally in her sights.

Just aim and…

She launched herself at him, catching his midriff with both her arms and wrestling him to the ground.

"What the hell?" he yelled as he began scrambling out of her reach. She grabbed him, however, and climbed on top of him.

"Give… it… back!" she grunted as she tried to reach his balled fist that held her money.

"Fuck off…!" he replied as he struggled to stay out of her reach, waving his arm around. "It's… _mine_…!"

"_I_ made that money," she glared at him as she finally managed to pin him down, grabbing both his wrists and sitting on his chest. She found a young boy, probably a little older than her, glaring up at her. His dark brown, almost black, hair was covered in dust, along with his annoyed looking face. He was attempting to scare her with a ferocious glare from his slate blue eyes, and it was working. She faltered as she blinked a few times.

"You're like me," she gasped. His eyes widened with realization, then he suddenly threw her off with a surge of energy. She landed on the ground as he struggled to get up.

She wasn't giving up that easily…

She pounced on him yet again, this time aiming for his arm that held her cash. She grabbed his fore arm with one hand and tried to pry her coins from his fist. However, his grip was too strong, and he was beginning to wrench his arm away from her. But before he could, she grabbed his forearm with both hands and suddenly bit him deeply as hard as she could. He let out a howl of pain as he finally let go of her money, and she, in return, let go of his arm.

"What the hell…?!" he exclaimed, looking at her as she quickly gathered up the coins. "What's your problem?!"

"What do you think, mutt face?!" she yelled, straightening herself and pointing an accusatory finger at him. "I'm hungry and I need money to eat, stupid!"

"You didn't have to go chomping on my arm!"

"_You_ didn't have to go stealing from me!"

"It's _called_ survival of the fittest!"

"It's called survival of the stupid!"

"Argh! Whatever!" He shot her a final glare and gave her the finger as he turned around and took off, leaving a small cloud of dust behind him. She snorted angrily before dusting herself off for the second time that day, then also turned around to head to her former destination.

-

"There you are," the lady said as she handed Kyouri a small bag of rice. Kyouri nodded happily as she took the bag before handing the woman some of her well earned money. The lady counted it, then bade her goodbye as she turned to leave.

"Mmm, I haven't had rice in a long time," Kyouri smiled to herself. "And I need to get that idiot's taste out of my mouth." She grimaced as she thought about the stupid pick pocket. "I still have some money left… maybe I should get some fish stock?"

Soon she was at another booth, buying a little stock and handing money to the merchant. She was about to leave when she caught a piece of an interesting conversation.

"Have you heard of the Sekihoutai?" She froze, then flattened her back against a wall and tried to look as if she were waiting for someone.

"Umm, no, why?"

"You haven't? Where've you been?" Shrug. "Well, it turns out they were a false army."

"What?"

"Really! The whole lot of them have been disbanded, and most of the regiments have been executed! It's punishment for spreading lies about a tax reform, can you believe it?"

"I can't believe they'd do something so underhanded."

"No kidding. At least they're taken care of now…"

Kyouri didn't hear the rest of what the men were talking about, her mind had gone numb.

False army?

Since when?

Had they _all _been executed?

What about Sanosuke…?

Was he…?

She didn't notice that she had dropped the rice and fish stock she was holding, even when they poured out onto the ground at her feet.

-

He whistled a crooked tune as he walked up the small bridge, not caring that he was butchering whatever song it happened to be. His arm was bandaged where that noneko had bitten him, though it was pretty much healed now since she didn't even break the skin.

How weak was that?

Speaking of which, he saw the young girl standing at the railing of the river, looking down and completely unaware. He instantly ceased his song, then began to furtively make his way towards her.

He could at least chuck her into the river as thanks for biting him. Besides, what if she had rabies or something?

"I don't have any money today," she replied, a listless tone in her voice. "Go away." He stopped mid prowl, stood up straight, and shrugged. He walked up beside her and looked down, as if seeing what was so interesting that she was watching.

"Please go away," she said softly, not changing her gaze from the river. He quirked an eyebrow at her, her sadness making his skin tingle in apprehension.

"I don't like the look you're giving the river," he replied, managing a mock tone of concern in his voice.

"I'm not gonna jump, stupid," she said, her brow furrowing in annoyance. "Besides, what do you care?"

"I dunno," he shrugged once again. "I guess it's like you said, 'you're like me.'" She remained silent as she continued watching the river.

"If you're like me," she muttered. "then what would you do if you suddenly lost everything?" He looked pensive for a moment.

"I got over it," he shrugged, then added in a thoughtful tone, "Wait… no, it's more like I left everything. Different, I guess."

She was silent, then muttered almost inaudibly, "…I left him too." Her head sunk, if possible, even lower. "I was such an idiot... Now I have nothing… What's the point now?"

"Who said you have to have a point to live?"

"I've been running just for the chance to see him again. Now there's no point since he's… gone." Her green eyes began to well with tears, and he suddenly looked startled. His nose started tingling, and before he could stop it a large set of sneezes erupted from him. They subsided after a minute, although she didn't seem to care to notice.

"Ack," he sniffed as he rubbed his nose. "Don't do that!"

"What?" she said, her tone harder as she looked even more annoyed.

"Cry." This time she managed to look up and give him a questioning look. "Don't take it the wrong way," he said huffily. "It just makes my nose itch when people cry." She glared at him.

"Shut up." Her tone was icy now and made a chill run up his spine. This girl had power. "Why don't you just go pee on someone or something?" He sighed heavily as he gave her an exasperated look.

"Okay, so you have nothing. Big deal. You're not the only one."

"But I had something!" she yelled back at him. "He was the one friend I had, and now he's probably…" Her throat clamped shut again as a new wave of tears came, causing a new wave of sneezes to erupt from him. Finally, he finished as he rubbed his nose furiously with the back of his hand. He shot an annoyed look at her before talking.

"So? It's not like he was the last soul left on earth or something."

"But who would…?"

He cut her off. "There are more of us than you think." She looked up at him with surprise, her eyes wide. "It's not like you're _completely_ alone."

"What? Really?"

"Yeah," he said, a grin stretching across his face. How could she be so clueless? "Like me. I'm Yamainu, by the way."

"… Kyouri… I'm Kyouri."

"Okay then," he said as his grin got, if possible, even wider. "Where're you headed, Kyouri?"

"Nowhere," she shrugged.

"Great, neither am I."

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Note: Aww, she made a friend! Also, this story will be based mostly on the manga, unless I like how things turned out in the anime better, in which case I will use my powers as an authoress to change reality as we know it (-laughs evilly-).

(Hmm, I tend to like people staring into space on a bridge, don't I?)

I wanted to give Sano somewhat of a reality check; he seemed so naïve as a little kid, idolizing the Captain so much! (so cute!). Of course, he still idealizes Captain Sagara even when he's older, but after the Jinchuu ark and what happened to Kenshin, I think he begins to realize that everyone has faults and weaknesses. This is just a small dose of that, I guess…

Okay, I'm kinda glad the prologue's over; this one has big plans for the heroine and my favorite rooster head! New characters are also gonna come in (Yamainu's gonna be staying for a while. Just a little while tho'!), and I'm gonna have fun writing their reunion. If anyone has any suggestions on how you want them to meet again (Sano'll be with the Kenshin-gumi, of course), then please tell me! I can't guarantee I'll use them, but…

I haven't had one of these in a while!

**Reviewer Responses:**

**WhiteRabbit5:** Okay, good, I was worried about their goodbye! (do you feel nervous when you post mushy stuff?). Yeah, I hate those characters that _everyone_ seems to love and have _no_ faults because they're always _so_ perfect (ugh, mary-sues, I _try_ to stay away from them…). Ah, yes, her uncle is a bastard, but you'll just have to wait and see (mwa ha ha). (-hops up and down-) I'm glad to see you're as happy to head off to the Meiji as I am! (the bouncy laundry machine awaits! ;) lol). Thank you so much for reviewing!

**Rayne-chan:** Thank you for your reviews! Your compliments really give me a boost!

**Zop:** Thank you, I really try to write as well as I can (I must re-read my stories, like, five million times for mistakes)!

**Dew-Drop Viper:** I'm so glad you like it! (-smile!-). Thanks for reviewing!

**darkXdemon15:** I'm keeping going! Thank you for your review!

You guys are so cool! Now I regret not being able to post anything for a while. I'm going on vacation to visit relatives in Mexico, so I'll be gone until New Years, I think… So when I come back I look forward to snuggling with my computer and continuing my story (long car rides are great times to brainstorm). I also look forward to some new chapters from the fics I like to read (-looks at Usashi-chan expectantly-)!

Happy Holidays to all and to all a good fic! Or anime. Or manga.

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Don't forget to review please!

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	6. Chapter 1: You!

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NOTE TO ALL WHO HAVE ALREADY READ THIS CHAPTER: All I did was change Koburi and Koyuki's names to Sachi and Shousei. Reasons in the next author's note!

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-Chapter 1: You!

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He yawned widely as he stretched his arms out, then slumped back and continued chewing on the fish bone in his mouth as if nothing had happened. His two friends who were seated by him and across from him didn't bother to note that that had been extremely rude behavior since they were in the middle of eating, but neither cared much because one: they didn't care about manners unless in important company, which didn't happen very often, and two: it _was_ Sano that was sitting across from them, it's not like he'd care if they did tell him to straighten up.

"So what's new, Sano?" Shu asked his friend as he served himself more beef stew. Sano glanced at him unconcernedly as he drank some sake from a small saucer.

"Not much," he sort of grunted in reply, "Everything's nice and quiet at the dojo." Then he added, "Not that I mind or anything, but I'm bored."

"Yeah, well, after being 'Zanza' for so long I guess normal life can be kind of boring, right? Guess you just have to get used to it," Gin said as he served himself more beef stew.

"Just 'cause I'm not selling fights anymore doesn't mean I can't see any action now and then," Sano grinned. "The fight with Shikijo was pretty entertaining."

"Sano, only you could find a fight entertaining," his other friend Shu replied with a smirk.

"You make it sound as if I'm some brainless thug," Sano replied, arching an eyebrow.

"That's because you are a thug," Shu said with a wide grin.

"A freeloading, gambling, booze drinking thug!" Gin said, making him and Shu burst out in laughter.

"Yeah, yeah, very funny," Sano said grudgingly as he took another sip of sake, although a smirk tugged at his lips.

"Speaking of free loading," Gin said as the laughter died down. "Who's gonna pay?" No one answered as the three friends stared at each other awkwardly.

"Umm…." Shu said, tilting his head towards Sano hopefully. Sano gave him a look that either said "don't look at me" or "I'm broke."

"I'll pay," a voice said from behind them in another booth. The three guys looked up to see a tall, muscular man with dark brown hair walk up to their booth. He was grinning confidently with a mischievous gleam in his eye. "But only if you can do something for me."

"Oh no, not again," sighed a feminine voice from behind the man.

"Can't he stay out of trouble just for a little while?" groaned another exasperated voice that sounded exactly like the other. Two girls appeared behind the man, both with short flame red hair and green kimonos, frowning critically at him with identical glares.

"Oh yeah?" Sano said, still holding his saucer of sake, choosing to ignore the comments from the girls. "What do you want, fuzz head?" The man's brash face faltered slightly as a flash of annoyance passed through it.

"Fuzz head?" one of the girls whispered to her twin, a smile spreading on her face.

"He _is_ fuzzy!" exclaimed the other, motioning to the man's messy brown hair, making both of them to burst into a fit of giggles.

"Stop it! You're ruining the moment!" snapped the man irritably at them, but that only caused their giggles to grow into full out laughter. He shot another glare at them before turning to Sano, who had an amused look on his face.

"You said you were bored, right?" he said, not pausing for an answer. "Well I'm low on cash. If you can beat me in a fight, I'll pay for your dinner. If I win, you pay for ours." The girls behind them stopped laughing abruptly.

"You can't pay for his dinner!" one exclaimed.

"Is this how you try to skip out on the bill?" said the other, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Besides, the noneko's still out looking for an inn, remember? We have to stay here and wait for her," said her twin as both of them crossed their arms.

"It's her fault she's late," the man said, waving them off. "Leave a note here for her and tell her to meet us at the river. Besides, do you _really_ think I'll lose?" he added, cocking an eyebrow towards them. They avoided his gaze and began humming absent mindedly. He frowned at them, clearly annoyed. Then he shifted his look to Sano. "So, whaddya say?"

Sano shrugged, "Sure, whatever. I could use some after-dinner exercise."

"I wish we could stay, Sano," said his friend Gin as he got up. "But we've got some business at the Shuei-ya and we can't be late."

"Yeah, see ya, Sano!" said Shu as he got up and followed Gin. "Good luck!"

"Like I'll need it," Sano replied after them, getting up. He looked at his challenger and gave him a cocky grin. "Well, let's go then." He began walking out the restaurant, leading the way. The man grinned, then began to follow him. The twins gave each other exasperated looks, left money at their booth, then followed their companion.

"He didn't pay his bill again," sighed the waitress that had a handkerchief around her head as she watched the group disappear.

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"There's just no stopping him," she sighed to her sister. "Once he's got his mind set on brawling there's nothing we can do."

"The only person that can stop him is probably on the other side of Tokyo right now," sighed her twin in the same tone as her sister. They watched with mildly interested looks on their faces as Sanosuke and their friend began to face off.

"I haven't had a fight in a while," Sano said casually as he gripped and un-gripped his fists in front of him. "I hope you prove to not be a waste of time."

"Same to you," grinned his opponent, stretching his arm in preparation. "Let's keep this simple: fists only, okay?"

"Wouldn't have it any other way," replied Sanosuke with his usual cocky grin. They stood there for a while, the sun sinking slowly on the opposite bank of the river, waiting. The tension was mounting in the air, just a few more seconds and…

"What do you think you are doing?" a cold feminine voice snapped suddenly. Sanosuke raised an eyebrow as his opponent froze.

"What does it look like?" he replied to the voice behind him, though not changing his gaze. "Stay out of this, I'll be done in a minute."

"No you won't," the voice replied in the same iciness. "You _cannot_ attract attention to yourself like this. Remember that fisherman in the last town, what you did to him and how long it took us to explain everything?"

"That guy had it coming, besides, this is just a fist fight between two men," the man replied, rolling his eyes. "It's not like I'm gonna blow up Tokyo or something."

"_Yamainu…_" the voice hissed in a dangerous tone, making even Sanosuke's hair stand on end. His opponent, or Yamainu, as he was called, put his fists down, rolled his eyes yet again, and turned around to the woman standing behind him. Sano couldn't see her since Yamainu was in the way, but he could almost feel her glare through him.

"_What?_" Yamainu asked in an exasperated voice. There was a moment of silence in which no one said anything, the two people staring at each other.

"Okay, _okay_," Yamainu said, raising his hands up in a sign of defeat. "I give, just stop looking at me like that, it's creepy."

"Good!" the voice said, now cheerful. She pushed Yamainu aside and faced Sanosuke.

"Sorry for any trouble my friend caused you but…" She trailed off, her eyes becoming wide and her jaw slacking. Sano just stared as he looked into familiar green eyes, messy brown hair covering them slightly.

"YOU!" she exclaimed suddenly, pointing at him accusingly. A few seconds of awkward suspended silence followed in which everyone kind of stared at each other, as if ticking down to an explosion.

"SANO!!" She flung herself at him suddenly, her arms going around his neck and her body swinging a few times with the momentum. Once she landed she began to shake him furiously as she yelled out one long string of words:

"OhmygodIcan'tbeleiveit'syouIthoughtI'dneverseeyouagainhowareyou??"

She stopped, looking up at him happily. He, however, was still processing the fact that there was someone shaking the life out of him… who seemed to know him and seemed really familiar…

"H-huh, who?" he said perplexedly, looking down at her, feeling kinda overwhelmed. A flash of pain crossed her green eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a look of anger.

"WHAT?!" she exclaimed as she began to throttle him again, this time more out of anger and not happiness. She began to yell out a long string of curses and bad words, which will be excluded from this fic to keep the rating from going up. She kept throttling him as he continued to lose brain cells until he finally got his bearings (as well as you can when your head feels like a punching bag).

"S-s-stop," he stuttered as his head kept swinging. "Stop!" Still no response as she continued shaking him furiously. Old memories of times with the Sekihoutai and the familiarity of her piercing green eyes and voice finally clicked in his mind. "OI! KYOURI! STOP! I REMEMBER YOU, OKAY?!" She stopped abruptly, looking up at him with wide eyes as he tried to get the stars out of his eyes.

"You do?" she asked hopefully.

"Y-yeah," Sano replied as he rubbed his head, blinking furiously. He looked down at her, seeing how crestfallen she still looked. As if he could forget about her. He grinned. "How can anyone forget such a violent girl?" She beamed at him as he grinned back.

It was really her.

"Um," he said after a few moments of happy yet awkward silence. He motioned to her hands, which were still gripping the front of his gi tightly. She blushed, smiling sheepishly, and let go.

"Sorry, Sano," she muttered as she looked away, her face still slightly red. "I guess I got a little carried away."

"Well," said one of the forgotten twins standing behind her. "that's the understatement of the year." Kyouri's face got even redder as she cast an angry look at the young girl who simply grinned back.

"Right…" Kyouri frowned at the group behind her before turning back to Sanosuke, grinning. "Let me introduce you to my friends! These are Yamainu, Shousei, and Sachi! Guys, this is Sanosuke! He's, um, an old friend!"

"We've already met," Yamainu said grudgingly before turning to Kyouri. "I'd hate to ruin your happy reunion, but we need to get going if we're gonna get to an inn." Kyouri's face fell slightly.

"About that…" she said, smiling anxiously and twiddling her fingers nervously. "I don't think we can actually afford to stay in an inn."

Yamainu frowned, silently cursing his luck, "Why not?"

"Well…this _is_ Tokyo, remember? Everything's more expensive here. Also, I think you spent most of the money we had on dinner at that restaurant. I told you we were low on cash, but you didn't listen."

"Hmm, and he was going to pay for your friend's dinner if he won," Shousei cut in, giving Yamainu an upset glare while Kyouri shot him an annoyed look; he avoided both by looking away as if thinking.

"Does this mean we have to camp out _again_?" Sachi groaned.

"Yeah…unless we can find another place to stay," Kyouri said.

"Are we even _allowed_ to set up camp in the city?" Shousei asked, furrowing her eyebrows. Everyone was silent as they cast each other questioning looks.

"I know where you can stay," Sano said, grinning as he broke through the silence. Kyouri beamed at him while Yamainu narrowed his eyes at Sanosuke suspiciously and the twins looked at him as if he was their savior. "There's a dojo nearby that belongs to a friend of mine, you could probably stay here for a few nights."

"Great! That's settled then!" Kyouri exclaimed happily, for once not waiting for her friend's approval. "Lead the way, Sano!"

Soon they were all walking down the road, Kyouri and Sanosuke walking a few steps ahead and talking among themselves while the other three followed, having their own discussion.

"Have you _ever_ seen Kyouri pounce on a guy like that before?" Sachi said in a hushed voice to her sister. "It's _so_ weird!"

"I don't blame her," Shousei said, grinning slyly. "He's hot."

"No kidding," Sachi replied, and they both began to giggle madly.

"Will you be quiet?" Yamainu hissed at them. "I'm trying to listen."

"Aww, is poor wittle Yamainu jealous?" Sachi asked with a foxy grin.

"Uh huh, right…" he responded sarcastically. "Now are you gonna let me listen or not?" The girls exchanged glances, but remained quiet as Yamainu concentrated on the pair ahead of them. They, however, didn't seem to be talking too much.

They walked in silence, both of them reveling in the fact that they were actually there, standing side by side after ten years, a curtain of unasked questions lingering around them.

These questions were booming in Sanosuke's mind, but he didn't know where to start. Where had she been? What had she been doing? Was she still running?

How long would she stay?

Instead he settled for studying her out of the corner of his eye. She was tall, taller than Kaoru, that was for sure, and had the same soft face with bright green eyes that glittered with curiosity that he remembered. Most of her body was covered with a dark blue traveling coat that reached her bare knees, including her arms which were tucked in. Her light brown hair had been cut slightly unevenly, her bangs going into her eyes and eventually getting longer as they got nearer to her ears so that they reached her shoulders at the edge of her face. He couldn't see how long the rest of it was since she had her coat over it so that only a worn red ribbon tying it was shown. Sano grinned when he realized what the ribbon was.

"I can't believe you kept that for so long," Sano said as he reached up and gently pulled on the ribbon. (Behind them Yamainu darkly muttered something about physical contact, while the twins just looked on, their interest peaked.). Kyouri grinned; she knew he had been watching her for a while and had wondered if he would actually say anything.

"It's the one hair accessory that I actually use," she replied, smiling.

"Yeah, except it's supposed to go on your forehead," Sano said, grinning as he pointed to his own forehead.

"Yeah, well, we can't _all_ look good in head bands," she grinned. They kept walking side by side as they settled into silence once again. Their elbows brushed together and Kyouri glanced up at Sano, smiling softly.

He could say something now, ask her something. She was so close and he wasn't sure when he'd get a chance to talk to her again. Yeah, now was the right time…

At that moment Yamainu stepped in between them, putting his hands on both their shoulders and pushing them apart.

"Are we there yet?" he asked Sano as he glared at him. "The girls are getting tired." He motioned to the twins behind him, and both Sano and Kyouri turned to look at them. Sachi and Shousei both had arched eyebrows and half lidded eyes. They rolled their eyes at each other before a mischievous gleam appeared in them.

"Oh yes," Sachi said in a flat monotone, her voice dripping in sarcasm. "My poor delicate little lady feet, they feel as if they may fall off."

"Oh! Someone catch me!" Shousei exclaimed delicately as she put the back of her hand to her forehead with an overdramatic flourish, "For I fear I am about to faint!" At this they both became overcome with sniggers, which soon developed into laughter. Sano and Kyouri couldn't help grinning as they looked at Yamainu.

"I swear they stick around just to torment me," Yamainu muttered.

"Oh no, Shousei!" exclaimed Sachi to her sister in mock surprise, "He's on to us!" They erupted in giggles once again, causing Yamainu to glower at them.

"Relax, we're here," Sano said as Yamainu looked like he was about to strangle the giddy twins.

They had stopped in front of a large gate, a sign with "Kamiya Kasshin Ryu Dojo" posted by the door.

"This is it, come on," Sano said as he opened the door and stepped in. It was twilight now and the dojo was unusually quiet without the sounds of anyone yelling or practicing. The new group looked around curiously as Sano began to walk into the yard.

A girl with long raven hair that was up in a high ponytail appeared from around the corner and was walking by with a shinai resting on her shoulder. And on that shinai swung a short boy with spiky dark brown hair, his facial expression resembling the one Yamainu had a minute ago. The boy was muttering darkly to himself as he rocked back and forth, but the girl, who was also glowering, seemed to be ignoring him. In fact, she seemed to be ignoring everything and didn't notice the group of people by the door.

"Hey, busu, you've got company," the boy said impatiently as he gave the group a look that clearly said "laugh and I will kill you." The girl gave him a murderous glare, but glanced at the door and noticed them for the first time.

"Oh! Sano?" she said, walking up to them. "Friends of yours?"

"Something like that," Sano said with a grin. "Kyouri's a friend from the old days. I was wondering if you could let them stay at the dojo for a while." The girl gave him a skeptical look, as if asking him to elaborate. "They would stay at an inn, but they're broke." The girl dropped the boy from her shinai unceremoniously and began advancing towards Sanosuke, the grip on the handle tight and a dangerous look on her face.

"_Sanosuke…_" she said as she looked daggers at him. "I'm not running an inn here! Besides, I've already got enough freeloading going on without you inviting friends without my permission! Maybe if you start paying for your meals then I'd more willing to have more people here!"

"Don't be so stingy," Sano frowned. "You've got enough room anyway." Kyouri noticed how he didn't mention paying for his meals and she could hear the twins sighing heavily behind her and could practically feel Yamainu rolling his eyes.

"Gomen nasai, miss," Kyouri cut in, smiling brightly. "But we have no intention of staying for free." The girl's menacing air faltered at this as she looked curiously at Kyouri. "We just… don't have any money." Now she did a semi-facefault as she hung her head and sighed audibly. "But we can work! Right guys?" Kyouri turned to her friends, which nodded half heartedly. The girl was apparently at a loss for words.

"Wait…" the boy which had been dumped on the ground was now standing besides the girl, a skeptical expression on his face. "You guys are Sanosuke's friends, right?" They nodded. "But you're willing to _work_ to pay to stay here?" They nodded again, but more slowly as if unsure what he was getting at. The boy's brow was furrowed in confusion. "So, wait… how long have you known Sanosuke??"

"Five minutes," grumbled Yamainu.

"Kaoru-dono, this one has finished the laundry," a bouncy looking red haired man said, interrupting the conversation, as he walked up to the group. He looked slightly surprised when he saw the group, but Kyouri had the feeling he had known they were there. He smiled at them but didn't say anything otherwise.

"Kenshin, these are some of Sanosuke's friends that are going to be staying for a while," said Kaoru happily. "They'll be cleaning the dojo as payment." Now the man named Kenshin had a genuine look of surprise on his face.

"You're going to _work_ to stay here?" he asked, his eyebrows disappearing under his messy red bangs. "Are you sure they're Sanosuke's friends?"

"Why is this so surprising?" muttered Yamainu, looking annoyed.

"Because if you know Sanosuke you know he's a freeloading…" began the boy, but he didn't get to finish as Sanosuke had slammed his fist onto his head. "Hey!!" he exclaimed as he looked angrily up at the tall man, rubbing the bump on his head furiously.

"I see you've got everything taken care of, Jou-chan," Sanosuke said, completely ignoring the boy, "So I guess I'll get going. 'Night all." He walked away, looking a little tense, Kenshin noted. The girl with brown hair looked at his retreating back, seeming slightly anxious herself. Sano shot a grin at her as he passed, and soon stepped out the door.

Sano felt that he needed at least a night to collect his thoughts, which he figured had been splayed all over the place with Kyouri's greeting.

"Urgh, baka," glowered the girl to the gate he had stepped through, "He didn't even introduce us. Oh well…" She looked at the group happily. "I'm Kamiya Kaoru, assistant master of this dojo." She bowed her head at them politely and they did the same.

"A girl swordsman?" said Sachi, "You don't see many of those." Something in Kaoru's happy expression faltered slightly as her eyebrow twitched.

"Yes, you've got a problem with it?" Not another girls-shouldn't-play-with-swords-but-should-stay-home-and-raise-a-family type of freak.

"On the contrary!" beamed Sachi, punching her fist into the air. "More power to ya!" Kaoru was slightly taken aback at this weird reaction, but obviously pleased since the bright smile resumed its place on her face.

"This is my student, Myoujin Yahiko." She motioned to the small boy, which waved his hand at them once but seemed disinterested. "And my, er, boarder, Himura Kenshin."

"Hello," Kenshin said happily, bowing his head. Yamainu wrinkled his nose, as if smelling something strange in the air, but quickly stopped when Kyouri shot a glare at him.

"It's a pleasure to meet you all," Kyouri said. "I'm Kyouri, and these are my friends…" She quickly introduced the people behind her for the second time that day.

"It's getting late," Kaoru smiled as she began turning towards the dojo, "I'll show you all to your rooms so you can get to sleep. We can all talk tomorrow."

"Arigato," Kyouri grinned as she and her friends followed her. She gave Yamainu a happy look and whispered, "See, this isn't so bad." He seemed determined to remain annoyed, however, and didn't answer. She sighed, rolling her eyes at the twins who returned her look of exasperation.

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Note: Something about this chapter seems… off (-bangs head into keyboard-). I give up, I've read over it about a million times. Whatever!!

I hope everyone has had a good break so far. I missed my computer and not being able to write, then when I finally got back it started snowing so I couldn't post anything since the internet went out! Argh! Anyways, I got some really cool reviews and I'm glad people are liking it so far! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter… but I think it could've been better… (-sigh!-).

**Reader Responses:**

**WhiteRabbit5:** Heh, Katsu meeting her on the bridge? Now _that_ would've been a weird turn of events (lol). You got inspiration from my fic? Even if it was an assumption? Cool! Thanks a lot, it's good to know I've pulled off an OC without making her Mary-Sue, now if I can just keep it up…

**Dew-Drop Viper:** God, I know! It's sooo horrible! I tend to avoid Sano/OC fics too for the exact same reasons! (It's too bad too, because Sano's my favorite character). XD Wah! Thank you!!

**Rayne-chan:** You're gonna show your friends? Really?? (-blush!-) Heh heh, well, I hope I don't disappoint you!

**Zoe:** If ya mean please update, then I did!

**darkXdemon15:** Whoo! Another one!

Sorry if I seem a little, um, stupid right now. It's 11:30 and I'm multi-tasking between writing this and watching Witch Hunter Robin (I just realized it's back on Adult Swim!). This story may seem to get a little slow for a while, but I swear it gets interesting later! Really! Don't leave meeee!

(-yawn!!-) My brain shut off about an hour ago, I need to stop writing now…

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Please don't forget to review!!

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	7. Chapter 2: Good Morning!

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Chapter 2: Good Morning!

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She hummed softly as she sat outside, combing her short fiery red hair with a black lacquered comb. It didn't take her long, since her straight hair only reached her chin, and soon she had put away the comb and had taken to looking around the small dojo from where she sat.

It was a nice little place, not too fancy but not too run down either. It had a nice homey feel that made her feel comfortable.

With a regretful pang Shousei realized she was probably more comfortable here than in her own home.

"Yo," a voice said, gratefully taking her out of her reminiscence. She looked up to see Kyouri's old friend and reason they were staying here walking towards her. He sat down besides her and leaned back against a column with such ease that she figured he probably had done it millions of times before.

"Ohayo, Sanosuke," she smiled, bowing her head slightly as he gave her a funny look.

"You don't have to be so polite around here, you know," Sano grinned. "It's not as if I'm your innkeeper or anything."

"I suppose you're right," Shousei answered with a humble smile that looked so much like a certain rurouni's, "But old habits are hard to break, especially around people I don't know very well." He shrugged rather cheerfully as they sat in silence.

"Um, so, where's Kyouri?" Sano asked after a short minute of silence. Shousei smiled the more familiar foxy smile as she looked at Sanosuke, causing him to arch his eyebrow at her.

"Still sleeping," Shousei answered after a second.

"Sleeping? But it's almost ten," Sano said.

"Yeah, well, she's not much of an early bird," Shousei answered with a grin.

"Hm, she always woke up early when I knew her," Sano said thoughtfully.

"Only because I had to," Kyouri's voice said, interrupting their conversation. They both looked behind them to see her poking her head out of the shoji screen from her room. She indeed looked very disheveled with her brown bangs even messier than usual and seemed to have just woken up since she was rubbing her eyes. "I would sleep in till twelve every day if I c-c-could," she said as she yawned. Sano was about to say something before another voice cut into their conversation.

"Ahhh!" Sachi sighed as she walked towards them, stretching her arms out. "Nothing like a warm bath to start the day!" She sat down besides Shousei, who, without a word, handed her the comb she had put in her obi and Sachi began to comb her hair that was identical to her sister's.

"Warm bath?" Kyouri asked, perking up. "Me next!!"

"But Yamainu's already…" Sachi began, but Kyouri had already streaked out of her room down the walkway. "…going to go next," she finished lamely.

"Other way!!" yelled Shousei as Kyouri ran down a wrong hall.

"Thanks!" she yelled back as she turned back and flew down the other way.

"Bet you Yamainu lets her take a bath first," Sachi grinned to her sister.

"No bet," Shousei said as she shook her head. "As if I was stupid."

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Yamainu was walking down the hall at his leisure, clutching a small bucket filled with his bath utensils, when a red blur flew past him into the bathroom that was right in front of him. He stood dumbfounded for a second before reacting.

"Oi!!" he yelled as he pounded the door with his fist, "Get outta there! I'm next!" The door slid open, and there stood Kyouri, looking up at him.

"Aw, come on, Yami," Kyouri pouted. "Let me take a bath first." Yamainu narrowed his eyes at her.

"No," Yamainu replied simply.

"But I'm a girl and girls _need_ baths, while boys, on the other hand, can wait," she said in a slightly whiny voice.

"_No_," Yamainu said with finality. "I called dibs after Sachi and you're gonna have to wait." Kyouri didn't answer however, and just stared up at him.

_Gods, no,_ Yamainu thought, _Not the eyes_. Kyouri was looking up at him with wide green eyes that held the same power that a kitten had when it managed to look innocent while you were scolding it. Yamainu groaned inwardly as he managed a glare at her, but her look didn't falter.

"Fine," growled Yamainu as he looked away. "Just don't take long."

"Thank you!!" she sang, and with that she snapped the door closed and left him standing dumbly in the hall. He sauntered off after glaring at the door for a few more seconds, feeling that somehow he had been cheated of something…

-

"…So then she starts pummeling the guy with random things and stuff from random stalls," Sachi was saying as she waved her hands animatedly, both Shousei and Sano watching eagerly with grins on their faces. "But he only begins to get nervous when she reaches a pile of watermelons…"

"And then," laughed Shousei as she cut in, "he starts trying to explain as he's dodging the shower of fruit that he wasn't trying to grab her chest but was only trying to get her wallet…"

"…And that he had only started pick-pocketing recently so he was still new and didn't have a 'technique' yet…" continued Sachi in between laughs.

"You can imagine how that went down with Kyouri…" giggled Shousei as Sano grinned so broadly that it looked as if it was going from ear to ear; it seemed that Kyouri was still as explosive as ever when it came to invasion of personal space and/or scaring the wits out of her.

"Then she decided that fruit wasn't enough, so she…" But Sachi was cut off since the subject of their story had walked in on their conversation, clearly frowning at the two girls.

"Just what are you guys talking about?" Kyouri said through gritted teeth, though she had a good idea what story they were reciting.

"Oh, hi Kyouri," Shousei said cheerfully, ignoring her question. "We're just having a little story time with Sanosuke."

"Ugh, not the one about the pickpocket that I threw into the river," Kyouri frowned.

"Really?" Sano asked, seemingly impressed. He glanced at her and look of surprise crossed his face, but she didn't notice.

"Aww, Kyouri!" exclaimed Sachi. "You gave the ending away!"

"Whatever, don't listen to what they say, Sano," she said as she sat down next to him. "They tend to over exaggerate things… Sano?" Sano didn't hear her, however, as he was too busy staring her, his eyes slightly wide. Now, without her traveling cloak on, he saw what she was wearing. She had on a white gi, a lot like the one he was wearing, it seemed, under a sleeveless red one, both of them tied together by a thick green obi, and under that she was wearing red shorts that went down mid thigh (a/n: kinda like Misao's except not so baggy and red with long white sleeves). It wasn't her clothes that got his attention, however, it was the long wave of light brown hair that swayed gently behind her, catching the light in ways that made it shimmer with touches of gold. It was longer than both Megumi's or Kaoru's, reaching past her waist and brushing the ground softly as she sat down.

"Umm, Sano?" she said as she waved her hand in front of his face. "What are you staring at?"

"Huh?" Sano said as he snapped out of his daze, seeing that she was giving him a quizzical look while the twins were looking at both of them with sly smiles. "Um, nothing, it's just…" He trailed off, looking away and trying to seem unconcerned, although his face felt a little hot.

"What?" she asked, smiling slightly.

"Your hair," he said simply, turning to look at her again. "It's really…. long." He mentally rolled his eyes at himself for a lack of creativity.

"Oh yeah, last time you saw me it was short, right?" she said, now smiling fully. "Well, my hair's grown a little during the last ten years."

"Yeah, yeah, I know that," Sano said impatiently, waving his hand as if brushing away her comment. "It's just that it seems so… girly." Her face fell slightly at this, and Sachi slapped her hand over her forehead.

She said nothing as she pulled a dark look at him.

"What's with that face?" Sano said, feeling slightly apprehensive but not showing it. Her eyes narrowed more as a dark shadow covered them.

"You make it sound like a bad thing," she said darkly. Yeah, Sano was feeling apprehensive now. Beads of sweat appeared on his face as he remained perfectly still.

"I didn't mean it like that," he said. Damn, he insulted her, didn't he? "It's just, er, surprising, okay?" She didn't answer, but her look lost some of its edge as she looked at him expectantly.

He grinned at her, kind of out of relief, surprising her slightly, "It looks good." She remained silent, but grinned back at him, the dark cloud suddenly lifting. "But what happened to the whole 'I want to be treated better' thing?" She shrugged, almost haughtily.

"I decided I don't give a crap about what others think," she said, smiling. "I'm gonna dress how I want and act how I want."

"Show so much leg and people are gonna think you're a prostitute," Sano pointed out good naturedly, although her face fell slightly.

"That already happened, remember Kyouri?" Sachi grinned. "That guy, when we were in Okinawa? It's a funny story; he asked…" But she trailed off as her face turned slightly blue from seeing the dark murderous look in Kyouri's eyes.

"And what about you Sano?" Sachi smiled, turning away from Kyouri's gaze. "Dressed how you are, people are gonna think you're a bad ass."

" 'Bad ass'?" Sano echoed, raising his eyebrows at her.

"Yep, very few people can pull it off," Shousei grinned.

"Those who can definitely get their share of the ladies, though, ne?" Sachi smirked.

"Someone like you has no problem with the look, seeing as how you're so well built."

"There isn't an ounce of fat under your neck, is there?"

"You must work out a lot."

"It obviously pays off, though."

"How long does it take you to wrap all those bandages?"

"Does your hair really stick up that much?" As they were bombarding him with questions, they kept leaning in closer and closer with eagerness, a mischievous gleam in their eyes, making Sano keep backing up until he was at the edge of the walkway.

"Will you guys stop it??" Kyouri growled, smiling angrily as a vein throbbed on her forehead. "You're embarrassing him!! _And_ you're gonna push him off!" The two girls grinned at each other slyly as they backed off, and Sano gave Kyouri a grateful look. No one had ever put him on the spot about his appearance like that. Thank Kami that was over.

"She's just mad that we're so close to him," Sachi said with an extremely foxy grin. Kyouri's and Sanosuke's faces were by now burning from the anger (for Kyouri) and awkwardness (for both) they felt.

"Anyways, why would he be embarrassed about being in good shape?" Shousei asked innocently.

"Which you are, by the way," Sachi said, turning to Sanosuke. "Now I really do wonder who would win if you fought with Yamainu. Who knows, maybe you'd have a chance, even if you are just a…" But she stopped short when she caught Kyouri's warning glance.

"A what?" Sano asked, arching his eyebrow at her challengingly, the air around them tensing slightly.

"A kid," Shousei cut in, saving her sister. "You're just a kid compared to an old fart like Yamainu." With that the small amount of tension dissipated as the girls grinned at Kyouri, who was grinning widely.

"I heard that," Yamainu said as he walked towards the group, a towel still around his neck. "I'm only twenty one, and you know that." He frowned towards the twins as they giggled behind their hands, Shousei having finally let go of Sano's arm.

"Really?" asked Sachi with fake amazement. "With the way you act sometimes, I could've sworn you were around forty or something." The girls began laughing again, and Sano and Kyouri couldn't help grinning while Yamainu glared at all of them.

"Oh, come on, Yami," Kyouri grinned. "You know their just kidding."

"'Yami'?" Sano asked, arching his eyebrow and grinning mischievously at Yamainu.

"It's her pet name for him," Sachi said, her laughter having died down.

"The fact that he lets her call him that just shows how spoiled she is by him," Shousei grinned.

"Izzat so?" Sano smirked up at Yamainu. "Fuzz head?" The twins began giggling madly again at this as Kyouri tried, but failed, to suppress a snicker as she realized how well the name fit him.

"I am NOT fuzzy!!" he shouted, causing the three girls to burst out laughing and making Sano's grin grow even wider.

-

"Hmm," Kaoru said from where she was watching the whole spectacle, a smile on her lips. "I've never seen Sano so at ease with a group of people before. They all look like they're old friends or something."

"I guess," Yahiko, who was standing besides her and Kenshin, shrugged.

"Perhaps it's good for Sano to be with people around his age every now and then," Kenshin smiled.

"Then whaddya call me and his other friends?" Kaoru frowned, clenching her fist dangerously.

"Um, this one means that maybe it's good for him to be with people who don't know about 'Zanza' or anything else about him," Kenshin said quickly, holding his laundry bucket in front of him just in case. "People that haven't built up assumptions but see him for what he is."

"Oh, is _that_ why he rammed his fist into my head yesterday?" Yahiko asked sarcastically. "He didn't want them to think of him as the drinking, gambling, freeloading ex-street fighter he is?"

"This one guesses so," Kenshin said, "Although this one thinks there may be… other reasons too." He looked up at Kyouri, who was still laughing and now joking around with Sachi, playing off Yamainu.

"Aww," Kaoru said as she smiled happily at Kyouri then Sanosuke, clasping her hands by her shoulder, then she stopped abruptly as a thought crossed her mind. "Who would've thought Sano would actually fall for someone; he doesn't really seem like the boyfriend type, does he? Still, I guess he's just a guy in the end…"

"Whatever, I don't get it," Yahiko muttered, shrugging as he went off to do more practicing.

"Excuse this one for he has to finish emptying the bath, Kaoru-dono," Kenshin said as he turned and left.

"Well, I guess that leaves me to make lunch," Kaoru mused to herself, and with that she turned and started walking towards the kitchen.

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-Note: Ah, Kaoru's making lunch, that won't end well…(heh heh heh…)

I haven't updated in a while, have I? I'm really not living up to my name… (kie devotion). Oh well, I'm updating now, and I'll have the next chapter up really soon! (as in, Wednesday maybe?). These chapters are gonna be a little hard for me, since I'm used to more tense stuff and not so much easy going-ness. But that'll end soon.

For those of you who are wondering why I changed the twin's names: I changed them 'cause WhiteRabbit5 made a _very_ good point. There are too many people with names starting with a 'K'. Also, I've already planned for two other original characters that will appear in the distant future to have names starting with 'K', and I liked their names better than the twins. So, yeah…

**Reviewer Responses:**

**WhiteRabbit5:** Yeah, I didn't like the last chapter much either. I feel I didn't do justice to their reunion, which is kind of disappointing. I'm also nervous about these chapters… But I can't wait until I get to the later part of the story, where everything's already planned out in my head! Yeah, I really like Yamainu too! I don't know why, I guess it's 'cause he's easy to pick on (in a good way).

**Rayne-chan:** I started reading "The Hitokiri Crystal" a while ago, but I stopped mid chapter and have been so busy that I haven't gotten a chance to read more! (have I already left a review? I don't remember! -swirly eyed-). Gomen, but I love it so far and promise to read more as soon as I can!

Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter (it was kind of a pain to write, argh). It's late and there's school tomorrow (damnit), so, happy reading!!

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Ano, don't forget to review, please!

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	8. Chapter 3: Lunchtime!

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Chapter 3: Lunchtime!!

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Everyone filed into the small dining room, crowding around the table that was now full of Kaoru's cooking. The group of travelers and Sanosuke all had lighthearted looks on their faces after talking and joking around all morning, mostly about Kyouri's acts of violence and Shousei's and Sachi's several pranks; even Yamainu had a shadow of a smile on his face. When Kaoru had gone to tell them it was lunch time she had found the group laughing loudly as Sanosuke practically rolled on the ground with hilarity (although she didn't know that was only because Kyouri had kicked him off the walkway in frustration when he wouldn't shut up after hearing about one of her misadventures).

"I hope you all like Miso soup!" Kaoru said happily as she began spooning out servings into the bowls.

"Oh, goodie!" Sachi squealed. "I haven't had a home cooked meal in forever!"

"Don't get your hopes up," muttered Yahiko as he poked at the soup, as if checking to see if it was still alive. As Kyouri was waiting for her soup, she realized that the residents of the dojo were doing some… questionable things. Kenshin was eating his soup without complaint, but he'd make a pained face every time he'd swallow and started looking slightly green after a while. Yahiko was fishing things out of his soup and secretly putting them in Kenshin's soup, although she was sure Kenshin noticed but didn't bother to say anything as he eyed Kaoru nervously. Sanosuke was eyeing his soup critically but didn't touch it, as if searching for bombs and other foreign objects. By the time Kyouri got her portions she was more than apprehensive.

She looked to her side and saw that Yamainu was also looking at his bowl of rice critically, but after a sniff he picked it up and began eating. The twins had also decided to eat some of their rice before facing the soup, and were casting nervous looks at each other from across the table. Kyouri picked up her bowl of rice and began eating as she glanced at Kaoru, who seemed oblivious to the proceedings around the table and was eating happily.

"Shousei-dono, could you pass the soy sauce, de gozaru?" Kenshin asked after a while of quiet suffering. The red head glanced at her sister across the table with the all too familiar gleam in her eye. She slammed her bowl of rice down on the table and gave Kenshin a furious look.

"Kenshin-san," she said in a forced calm voice, "Why would you think that I, Sachi, am _that_ woman!" She pointed at her sister, who had a similar look on her face. Kenshin seemed at a loss for words, although his eyes were wider than usual.

"Kenshin-san," Shousei said through gritted teeth. "Are you implying that we _look_ alike?"

"Oro?" Kenshin eeped.

"WELL?!" they both exclaimed at the same time, glaring at Kenshin, who's eyes were now bugging out.

"Oro?!" he squeaked again, "Um, well, gomen nasai, but, um… you kind of do… what this one means is…" He fumbled with his words as the twins kept giving him burning looks. By now everyone was deathly quiet around the table as Kenshin struggled, although Yamainu and Kyouri, who both gave each other exasperated looks, had small smiles on their faces.

After a few more excruciating moments the two twins broke out in smiles.

"Aww, Kenshin-kun, don't get so nervous!" Shousei said happily.

"Yeah, we were just kidding!" Sachi laughed. "Here you are, Kenshin-kun." She gripped the sleeve of her kimono delicately as she picked up the soy sauce with her other hand and handed it to Kenshin, who was still slightly pale but looked extremely relieved.

"Arigato, Sachi-dono," Kenshin said as he bowed his head slightly and took the soy sauce. Sachi nodded and began eating her rice again, in tiny portions so that she may as well have been eating it a grain at a time. Kenshin couldn't help notice the impeccable manners both girls sitting at his sides had. They seemed out of place in two girls who had just been yelling at him a moment ago, although that had obviously been a harmless prank.

At that moment someone else slammed their bowl down, except this time it was Yamainu, and it was his bowl of miso soup that had gone down while his rice bowl was empty. He had a slightly blue look in the face and seemed as if he was about to gag or throw up.

"Excuse me," he muttered as he quickly got up and bolted outside. Everyone had a concerned look on their faces, especially the twins who looked at their untouched bowls of soup as if they would get up and attack them. Kyouri also excused herself and went out to see if Yamainu was all right. She found him outside, hunched over the edge of the walkway and breathing deeply.

"Don't eat it," he gasped as she approached him. "I… I've never… I've never smelled anything so… _foul_." Perspiration mounted on Kyouri's forehead. Yamainu's hunches on food always seemed to be painfully correct.

"Aww, it couldn't have been _that_ bad, could it?" she asked with cheerful apprehension. He gave her a look as if she was crazy.

"I don't see how any of those people are still alive," he said grimly. "Especially that red headed swordsman." Kyouri felt her stomach give an uncomfortable flip.

"Well," Kyouri sighed, scratching her chin. "We can't do much about it, I guess we just have to bear it." Yamainu groaned as the blue creeped back into his face.

"You go," he said, "I just need… a moment…" Kyouri cast him an apprehensive look before turning and going back to the table.

Kyouri entered just as Sachi and Shousei had finished making up an elaborate excuse to not eat their soup. Kaoru seemed slightly put out, but she quickly recovered.

"Kenshin!" she exclaimed happily. "You're all finished with yours! Would you like some more?" Kyouri watched as Kenshin's eyes bugged out again and he began explaining nervously that he was really too full to eat another bite, but soon became more preoccupied with her own soup. She eyed it nervously, ways of getting rid of it going through her mind, but none plausible enough.

Kyouri glanced at Sano out of the corner of her eye and noticed he was wolfing down his soup as fast as he could. Could he really like it _that_ much??

Then she saw the fierce look of application on his face, and realized he was concentrating on passing it down his throat without tasting it, a skill that had probably taken a while to develop. He finished and put his bowl down on the table, then leaned back and hung his head as he clutched his stomach. No one noticed, as they were all busy getting rid of their own portions.

Well… he had been eating this stuff for a long time, right? And he _had_ come up with a way to pass the stuff without even tasting it, although the effects it would have on his stomach were unknown.

So, a little more wouldn't hurt, right?

With speed rivaling Kenshin's, Kyouri switched her bowl with Sanosuke's before anyone (except perhaps said red-head) could notice.

When Sano sat back up and looked down, there was a full bowl of lukewarm, potentially poisonous, soup waiting for him. He grimaced at it, thinking the bowl must be possessed with some freaky voodoo to refill itself. Then he noticed the empty bowl in the seat besides him.

He glared at Kyouri, then at his bowl, then at Kyouri some more. She, however, just looked up at him with innocent reproach, as if wondering what all the filthy looks coming her way were for. He kept glaring at her, but her expression didn't change.

With a heavy sigh and a final glare at her, he picked up the bowl and began eating.

Just then Yamainu resumed his place at the table, his face set with new found resolution. He picked up the bowl of soup and began wolfing it down in a similar fashion to Sanosuke. After a few minutes he finished and put his bowl down on the table, looking satisfied with himself for conquering the roth, even if he was a pasty white tinged with green.

"Well!" Kaoru said cheerfully as she picked up the spoon. "Does anyone want seconds?"

"No!" everyone exclaimed at the same time, perhaps a little too eagerly.

"We'd better get started on cleaning the dojo, right guys?" Kyouri said hastily as she got up.

"Right! Can't keep putting it off!" Sachi said as she got up too, along with her sister.

"I think… I need to use the bathroom," Yamainu said as he got up and bolted out of the room for the second time.

"This one has to finish the laundry!" Kenshin squeaked as he got up and ran out the room.

"Gotta practice!" Yahiko blurted as he got up and disappeared. Sano was the only one left, and he cast Kaoru a nervous look as she picked up the spoon.

"Gotta… do stuff!" he exclaimed as he got up and left before she could say anything. Kaoru was left holding up the spoon dumbly.

"I guess, I'll just have to give this to the clinic, I'm sure some of their patients could use a good meal!" she said cheerfully as she closed the lid on the pot.

-

"Okay, so, Kenshin, what is there to do around here?" Kyouri asked as everyone that had escaped the wrath of seconds stood in the yard (Yamainu's stomach was still acting funny, but he was sucking it up, and Sanosuke seemed to have built up an immunity to it).

"Well, there's the walkways that need to be cleaned, the practice hall, the pathways that need to be swept, dinner that needs to be cooked before Kaoru, and the laundry," he said, listing each thing off his fingers.

"All righty then," Kyouri said. "Shousei and Sachi can do the walkways and practice halls, Yami can do the sweeping and yard work, and I can make dinner and do the laundry."

"Wait," Kenshin said, "This one can do the laundry."

"Oh, it's okay, Kenshin," Kyouri replied cheerfully. "We're supposed to do all the work, you can just take the day off!"

"No, you don't understand," Kenshin replied, his voice losing some of its bounciness and his eyes flashing gold, "_I'm_ going to do the laundry."

"Oookaay," Kyouri said, her eyes slightly wide and looking nervous. "Kenshin can do the laundry, and I'll just make dinner!"

"All right," Kenshin replied, back in his happy mode. Then he skipped off to the laundry tub happily, drawing strange looks from the group.

"Um, right," Kyouri said. Then she looked up at Sano. "What about you, Sano?"

"What about me what?" Sano asked, knitting his eyebrows.

"You just got a free lunch, are you gonna do anything?"

"Hmm…" Sano thought for a second. "Nope."

"_Anything?_"

"No, I think you've got it all covered."

"Kyouri," Yahiko said. "The day Sano starts working for his meals is the day Kenshin goes on a killing rampage with is laundry tub."

"Oh really?" Kyouri said, looking at Sano. "Does that mean you've never done _anything_ to thank Kaoru-chan for all the free meals?"

"Well…" he began, but he trailed off as he avoided Kyouri's gaze. So much for the hard worker she knew ten years ago. Living on his own without Katsu or herself bossing him around must've made him slack off a little too much.

"Sano, you're gonna help Kenshin with the laundry," Kyouri said.

"What? No way!"

"Yes way, you've been freeloading long enough."

"You don't understand, it's just the way things are around here. Kaoru's always a horrible cook, Yahiko's always complaining about her cooking, Kenshin never says anything, and I eat without complaining (too much) and I don't have to pay. You'll upset the balance if you make me work."

"_Sanosuke_," Kyouri hissed, using the glare that Yamainu was all too familiar with, although he was rather pleased to see it being used on someone else for a change. "You are going to help Kenshin."

"No, I am not," he glared back. They glared at each other for a while, no one saying anything as they waited to see who would come out as victor.

"Right, let's go." And without a second of hesitation Kyouri walked behind Sanosuke, grabbed the loose ends of his headband, and began pulling him away.

"Hey! What the…? Leggo!" Sano began to try and walk the other way, but found she was remarkably strong and he couldn't get his headband out of her death grip. He also couldn't slip out of the headband since she was shorter than him and pulling his head down.

"He should know that no amount of fidgeting will call for mercy from the Noneko," Yamainu said as they watched him being dragged away around the corner. Sanosuke tried to grab onto the corner and succeeded in staying in one spot for a few seconds, but was soon dragged down, deeper and deeper so even his wails of complaint began to fade. Yamainu couldn't help hide the look of amusement he had on his face as Sanosuke's cries ominously ended abruptly. "Sounds like she got him." The twins shivered with fear and Yahiko's eyes were uncharacteristically wide with horror.

-

"I don't believe it."

"This one has never seen such a strange sight, even during the Bakumatsu."

"Does this mean Kenshin's gonna start whacking people over the head with his laundry bucket?" Kenshin and Kaoru gave Yahiko a funny look. "What?"

"Kyouri can truly create the impossible."

A vein throbbed on Sanosuke's head as he listened to their conversation. This wasn't _that_ amazing.

"I _can_ hear you, you know?" he muttered angrily as he cast the three a filthy look.

Kenshin, Kaoru, and Yahiko didn't seem willing to leave any time soon, as if waiting for the sky to fall or something else incredible to happen.

"_When_ are you gonna leave me alone so I can finish this?" Sano asked as he roughly slipped a sleeping kimono onto the pole. He still had a whole pile of wet laundry to hang up before he finished.

"When Kenshin sprouts wings and flies away," Yahiko grinned. Sano shot him another filthy look as he shoved another sleeping kimono on the pole.

"Be gentle!" Kenshin exclaimed. "This one worked hard on that laundry!" At that moment Sano fumbled and a towel fell onto the ground.

"Oops," he muttered as he looked at it.

"_Sano_…" Kenshin hissed, his eyes slightly golden.

"Sorry, sorry! I've got it, Kenshin, see?" Sano said hastily as he picked up the towel and dusted it off, then hung it on the pole with uneasy gentleness.

"Well, we'd better get started on our practice, Yahiko," Kaoru said as she rested her shinai on her shoulder and began walking away.

"All right, busu," Yahiko sighed as he followed her. Kenshin listened as Kaoru yelled at her student and their argument faded into the background.

"We still have a long way to go, Sano," Kenshin said cheerfully as he went back to his laundry bucket and began to scrub.

"Y'mean there's more?!" Sano exclaimed.

"Of course," Kenshin replied simply with his usual smile. Sano groaned loudly as he continued to hang the various clothes items. _Kyouri, I'll get you back for this,_ he thought grumpily. Then a vision of her scary face flickered through his mind, making him shudder. _Okay, I'll let you go this time…But just… this. time._

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-Note: I kinda had fun writing this chapter, I actually enjoyed it a lot than the last one. I've never actually put my mind to writing anything deliberately funny… Hm, did it work?

(-SIGH!!-) These chapters are really taking a lot out of me. Argh, two things I have problems with: embarrassing moments and easy, happy-bouncy, laid back moments. Incredibly, I had both in the last two chapters. I do a _lot_ better in tense situations and stuff. Okay, no more complaining.

**Reviewer Responses:**

**WhiteRabbit5:** Oh… Trust me when I say I _really _wasn't trying to make it seem like he was a "swooning schoolboy." I was trying to show that he was more surprised about her choice of clothes and long hair, not really that he was gaping at her for "those" reasons. I guess I'm trying to show that they're both in this mindset about each other from ten years ago, and that they don't really know each other yet in the present. I'll try to elaborate more on it later, and I hope this chapter helped a little with that. Ah, well, I have such a specific mental image about her that I really wanted to convey to the reader, and what better way than to have Sano describe it, ne? …Guess not, thanks for the advice, I'll definitely keep it in mind for future stories! NO!! I missed a grammar mistake?! WAH! My life is a lie! Thanks for pointing that out, seriously, I try so hard to keep my writing grammatically correct (for the most part), but I guess I'm no English teacher (-sigh-).

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I'm hoping to get back in my comfort zone soon (high tension situations), and I hope that whoever's reading this sticks around. But, if you are reading this, then leave a review!

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Please please review!

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	9. Chapter 4: Decisions

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-Chapter 4: Decisions

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_It's so dark… I can't even see my hands in front of me…_

_The world around her was pitch black, her movements echoing loudly in the shadows._

_I'm having another dream…_

_Her shoulders slumped as she sighed heavily._

_Another night, another nightmare._

_She sat down, wrapping her arms around her legs and resting her head on her knees. Who would come this time? Her mother? Father? Him?_

_Footsteps echoed ominously around her, so she couldn't tell where they were coming from. She closed her eyes and listened. These steps, they were calm, deliberate, as if the person knew exactly where they were heading, but in no rush to get there._

_Maybe it was her father?_

_They stopped._

_She opened her eyes to see a pair of white pants in front of her. She followed the legs up, to see Sanosuke standing above her, looking down at her with a curious look._

_"Whatcha doing down there?" he asked, his voice reverberating around them._

_"I could ask you the same thing," Kyouri said, her eyes wide with surprise as she stood up. He had never appeared in her dreams before. He shrugged quite contentedly in response, as if being stuck in a pit of darkness was no big deal._

_"I think I'm gonna go that way," he said thoughtfully as he turned to look in a random direction. He grinned at her. "Coming?"_

_She smiled, his presence making her feel calmer, "Why not?" He began to walk away, so that "aku" was facing her._

_Maybe this wasn't a nightmare._

_She smiled as she lifted her foot and began to walk after him._

_Or so she tried._

_Her feet were stuck, as if glued to the almost invisible floor. Her heart jumped into her throat as panic began to well in her._

_"S-sano?" she said in a shaky voice. She looked up, to see that he was completely oblivious to her problems._

_-Have you forgotten?-_

_"W-wait, Sano…" She tried to force her feet off the floor, but they wouldn't budge._

_-Have you forgotten the fear?-_

_He wasn't stopping, he just kept walking as she watched "aku" get smaller and smaller with each step._

_-The panic?-_

_"Sano!" she yelled. "Please!" He stopped._

_-Have you forgotten me?-_

_He turned his head, grinning at her with one of his carefree looks. Her blood went cold when he turned and continued in the direction he was going._

_"WAIT!" she shouted, pumping her legs and outstretching her arms in futility._

_-Let me remind you…-_

_Large, clawed hands appeared out of the nothingness around her, grabbing her and digging their large nails into her body. She began to wail in pain and hopelessness as they dragged her backwards, slowly leading her away. She could hardly make it out anymore, the "aku," it was almost completely gone._

_Why didn't he stop?_

_'You abandoned him first.'_

_"No…" she whispered as the claws kept piercing her body, although she had forgotten the pain. "Don't leave…"_

_-Too late.-_

_A voice began cackling, echoing all around her, consuming her mind and emptying all other thoughts, and dispelling all other emotions…_

_…except for fear._

_Dark, blood-red eyes looked down at her haughtily as they laughed maliciously, and she was dragged into the depths of pain and loneliness…_

-

She woke with a start, her eyes snapping open and her body curled into a tight ball as she clutched the sheet around her, gasping for air and beads of sweat sliding off her face.

She lay there, motionless, for minutes, as the horrifying dream played like a horror scene before her.

_A dream, only a dream…_, she repeated to herself mentally again and again, trying to push the nightmare out of her mind.

She hadn't had one this bad for a long time, and it was also the first time since forever that Sanosuke had appeared before her in a dream.

"_Too late."_

"…no…" she whispered to herself as she buried her head into the sheet.

-

It was barely going to be dawn, and the sun was barely spreading his fingers around the world he would clutch tightly until dusk that day.

And she was awake??

Sachi yawned heavily as she rubbed her eyes and stretched her arms.

A shoji screen opened nearby, and approaching footsteps could be heard.

_Who else would be awake in this ungodly hour?_ Sachi thought to herself as she yawned yet again.

"Oh, Sachi-dono," the swordsman said, slightly surprised but grinning all the same. "Why are you up so early?" Sachi looked up at Kenshin, grinning sheepishly.

"I couldn't sleep," she replied simply, motioning for him to sit by her.

"Ah, nightmares?" Kenshin smiled as he sat down.

"Something like that," she shrugged. Really, it was Kyouri's nightmares that had woken her up.

It had been a long time since she had heard Kyouri whimper in her sleep.

It must've been a bad one.

"What about you?" Sachi asked, remembering there was someone sitting by her.

Kenshin smiled happily as he looked ahead, "This one was just going to make breakfast."

"Kyouri's supposed to do that," Sachi pointed out.

Kenshin shrugged good-naturedly, "This one doesn't like the idea of leaving all the work to someone else, even if they are supposed to be 'paying' Kaoru-dono. Besides, Sano told me she didn't wake up until ten yesterday."

"All right, very true," Sachi sighed happily, and they both settled into a comfortable silence as they watched the gold rays dip slowly deeper into the courtyard.

"Sachi-dono, could this one ask you something?" Kenshin asked, his face getting a little more serious.

"Shoot," Sachi yawned.

"Why is it that two well educated young women from honorable family are running around Japan?" Sachi stopped mid-yawn, casting Kenshin a look as he kept his gaze straight. He turned to look at her, his usual grin on his face. "If you don't mind answering, that is."

"How did you…?" Sachi trailed off, looking at Kenshin with astonishment.

"You both have very fine table manners and etiquette, when you're not goofing off, that is. You also have a fine accent, although you try to hide it, and do it very well, this one might add. Those type of things are hard not to notice by this one." Sachi didn't answer, but shifted her gaze to her feet that were hanging off the edge of the walkway. Kenshin noticed the shadow of apprehension on her face. "If you do not wish to speak to this one, it is understandable," he said, his voice consoling. She shook her head.

"We were… going to be separated," she said, her voice hardly above a whisper as her eyes took on a faraway look. "After the war and all, my father was having a hard time picking himself up. He had been the vassal to a powerful lord, but after the Shogunate was abolished, well, he needed to find a new lifestyle. He decided to become a merchant, but he needed more money." She clenched her sleeping kimono as her face became more anxious. Why was she telling him this?

She felt words start coming hesitantly out of her lips, "My sister and I were born in the middle of a large family of boys; three older brothers and two younger ones. They were all working, except for my youngest brother, who was only six, while my sister and I were taught the proper ways to behave in a proper society. It wasn't that bad, because we had each other. We were best friends; we had to be, since we were never allowed outside the mansion. My sister, Shousei, she's the older one, even though she may not seem it sometimes. Still, she was an angel, and I looked up to her since she was always able to please Mother and Father… even if I was a little jealous. I'd forget all that, though, as soon as we were given time to ourselves, and we'd become best friends again, instead of rivaling siblings. Not only that… she always tried to help me, and always seemed to have the patience to hear me go on about completely pointless things." She smiled. "It wasn't that bad."

Her smiled melted slowly off her face, "Like I was saying, my father needed more money, and my brothers were already working as much as they could, so he did the only other plausible thing: he decided to marry off my sister. After a lot of scrutinous searching, he decided upon a rich Patriot who had connections to the government. Still, he was an ancient looking man, and he was always throwing his weight around, acting as if he owned the place. I knew my sister would be unhappy with him. I was right, too, she told me herself. Not only that, if she got married to the old geezer, she'd have to leave and go live with him, far away, and I wouldn't be able to see her. I knew I could never live up to my parent's expectations, and I would be miserable without her there to console me and… be my friend. I also knew that she'd be the same way, all alone in a strange house, with a strange man. So, I convinced her to run away, and we did." She looked up at Kenshin, her green eyes looking troubled.

"It's been three years, and I often wonder if what I did… was completely for my own selfishness."

Kenshin had been silent throughout the whole narrative, his face quiet and serious.

"No, Sachi-dono," he said quietly. "You did what you did for her sake as much as yours." Sachi didn't answer, but turned her gaze back to her feet.

"It was hard, and it took us a while to get our act together," she continued. "We didn't have any skills, and hardly any money. Soon we had pawned off everything we had, except for the comb our mother had given us. I don't know why we kept it, since we cut our hair anyways. I guess, we just needed something to remind us, where we came from. Anyways, after a few hard weeks, we resorted… to stealing." She hung her head, hiding her face from Kenshin. "We were small time thieves, and we only robbed the rich. Still, even though we tried to comfort ourselves with those thoughts, there was a constant voice in the back of our minds telling us it was wrong. Well, we were staying in a small town one day, when two people came charging in as if they were king and queen of the world." A smile flitted across her features. "There was something about those two, that really bugged me. I guess they reminded me of the bastard that wanted to marry my sister. Well, I decided to try to rob them next, but I didn't tell Shousei since I knew she wouldn't like the idea of robbing some vagabonds." Her smile got wider.

"Big mistake. Yamainu's no idiot, and Kyouri can practically feel a guy checking her out five yards away, so what chance did I have to take anything from them? They caught me, and Yamainu was about to unleash his fiery wrath, when my sister came running into the camp and stopped him, having followed me. She begged for me to be let go, and even offered her life to be taken instead of mine." She laughed softly. "Kyouri calmed her down, well, both of us, really, saying neither of them had any intentions to kill anyone that night, and all they probably would've done to me was chuck me into the river. That was a surprise. My sister practically threw herself on the ground in thanks, but Kyouri just laughed and picked her up, telling her to stop acting weird." She chuckled. "Yamainu backed off, and let me rejoin my sister, and then both of us explained our predicament to the two. Kyouri just smiled, and told us that we could stay with them that night for dinner, since we were probably hungry. Heh, we were best friends after that, and just decided to stick together, although it took Yamainu about a month before he stopped giving us death glares." She looked up at Kenshin, who had a pensive look on his face. "So, that's it, not much else to say. Just note that I don't tell every person I meet my life story, so you should feel special." Kenshin grinned at her and got up, dusting himself off.

"Sachi-dono," he said as he turned to leave. "Although this one understands why you would want to run away, this one also believes that three years is a long time for parents to miss their daughters. Your family is probably waiting, you should return to them." He smiled his humble smile at her. "I'm sure they'll understand." He left, leaving a preoccupied and slightly agitated Sachi sitting on the walkway.

She watched as his red ponytail disappeared around the corner, wondering what had made her feel so at ease around a man she hardly knew. He had a calm and collective air that made one feel so relaxed… reassured…

Just like her eldest brother…

-

"Who would've thought Kenshin was such a good cook?" Kyouri said brightly as she, Yamainu, and the twins stood around in the kitchen. They were congregating to decide their plan for the day, since they had spent the day before cleaning, although the twins weren't done with the walkways yet. Kyouri had made dinner, to which Sano had happily exclaimed, "I haven't had something this good in a long time!", making Kaoru break down about her horrible cooking. Kenshin had tried to comfort her, reassuring her that her food really wasn't all _that_ bad, and that she had many _other_ strengths that she should be proud of. It was when Kyouri had promised to teach her how to cook, however, that she really calmed down and became cheerful again.

"So," Kyouri said, still happy, "What's the deal?"

"Not much," Shousei said. "We just have to finish the practice hall, right, Sachi?" She turned to her sister, who had been uncharacteristically quiet all morning.

"Yeah," Sachi replied absent mindedly. Shousei gave her a concerned look, but Sachi just smiled brightly and shrugged it off.

"Good," Yamainu sighed. "I'm getting tired of staying here." Kyouri shot him an annoyed look. "Don't take it all personally, Kyouri!" he exclaimed. "You know I hate staying in places like this, it puts me on edge. As soon as the twins finish, we can leave and just keep moving."

"Yeah…" Kyouri said nervously. "I was wondering, maybe we could stay for a little longer? I mean, I haven't seen Sano in a long time, and we haven't even had a chance to talk or anything…"

"Kyouri," Yamainu said, his voice serious but softer than usual. "You know we have to keep going, for your sake. If we don't…"

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Kyouri smiled brightly, although it looked artificial. "You're right, we'll leave as soon as Sachi and Shousei finish." She turned to the sisters. "So, you guys should get started. I'm gonna go use the bathroom." She turned and left abruptly, leaving the three friends behind her looking at the door with worried looks.

_Kyouri, I'm gonna do you a favor,_ Sachi thought as she looked up at Yamainu, an idea crossing her mind. _As thanks… for everything…_

-

"Break time!" Sachi said happily as she stepped into the just-cleaned practice hall where Kaoru and Yahiko were practicing.

"What?" Yahiko said as he looked up at the two red-heads, one of which (he couldn't tell them apart) was carrying a plate of onigiri. "Man, I just got into my stride."

"Whew," Kaoru sighed as she wiped her brow and smiled at the girls who were now sitting down and setting down the plate. "You can keep at it if you want, Yahiko, I'm gonna take a quick break."

"Whatever, busu," Yahiko snorted as he grabbed a few riceballs on his way out. Kaoru shot a filthy look at his retreating back, but smiled again as she took a riceball and sat down. The twins gave each other looks, then turned towards Kaoru.

"Okay, Kaoru-chan," Sachi said, leaning in towards the dojo teacher. "We need a favor."

"Favor?" Kaoru asked as she tilted back slightly away from the imposing girl. "What is it?" Shousei got up and sat down on the other side of Kaoru.

"We need you to tell us everything you know about Sanosuke," Shousei said, leaning towards her in a similar fashion as her sister.

"What? Why would you wanna know that?" Kaoru asked, quirking an eyebrow at both of them, feeling cornered.

_"You guys find out what you can about the bird-head, and I'll do whatever you want, okay?" Yamainu said._

Sachi grinned, "It's for Kyouri and Sanosuke's sake. As the westerners would say, we're playing cupid."

"What's that?

"The angel of love," Shousei smiled coyly, remembering the words of a sailor they had met one time.

"Wait… you're gonna push their relationship…?"

"Exactly," Shousei smiled.

"Why?" Kaoru asked, arching her eyebrows at the girl.

Kyouri had nightmares almost every night, and Sachi often heard her cry softly in her sleep, but she had never heard her call out a name before, except for the night before, when she had called out for Sanosuke.

"We owe Kyouri a favor," Sachi grinned. "Don't worry, we're professionals and won't do anything stupid. Can you please tell us?"

"Um, well…" Kaoru said as she scratched the back of her head. 'Professionals'? How often did they "play cupid"? "Okay…"

"Yay! Thank you, Kaoru-chan!" Sachi said as she hugged Kaoru abruptly. She sat back as she reached for another riceball and looked at Kaoru expectantly. "Now then, enlighten us!"

-

Yamainu kicked some grass with his feet as he sat on a large log by the river, thinking, planning, and wondering.

It had all started when Sachi had said "Man, she's got it bad" that morning. With some more questioning, he had found out that she meant that Kyouri had _fallen_ for Sanosuke.

It's not like he hadn't noticed that something was there, it was just _hearing_ it from someone else that had finally made it sink in.

So he had made a deal.

_"You guys find out what you can about the bird-head, and I'll do whatever you want, okay?" Yamainu said._

_"Okay," Sachi said a foxy look on her face. "You know Kyouri best, so what you have to do is get her to talk."_

_"Talk?"_

_"Yeah, get her to say what she really feels, even if you don't like it. Just get some answers from her, deal?" Sachi's face was serious, the most serious he had seen it in a long time._

_"Deal."_

The all too familiar scent of green tea wafted over to him.

"Yami?" a voice said behind him. He turned his head to see Kyouri standing behind him, an eyebrow quirked at him. "What're you doing here?"

"Waiting for you," Yamainu replied as she sat down beside him. "I knew you'd come here."

"Oh?" she said, now raising both eyebrows at him. "Why?"

"I need to talk to you," he said, his voice serious.

Kyouri shrugged, "Okay."

"Kyouri, I don't like him."

"Huh?"

"Sanosuke, I don't like him, and you shouldn't either just because you knew the guy ten years ago."

"What?" She frowned. "Yamainu, stop it. Come on, you don't even know him."

"I know his kind, they're all the same."

"Sano's not. Don't judge him like that, he didn't judge us."

"That doesn't matter, he's just like every other human we've met."

"That's a lot of people." She crossed her arms and looked away from him.

"Remember the group of mercenaries we met on the coast? He was just like them; he used to hurt people for money. He was a 'fight-merchant,' Kyouri, and he went by the name of 'Zanza.'"

Kyouri was silent as her look darkened. She pulled her legs up and wrapped her arms around them, "I already told you, don't judge him, because you hardly know him."

"What're you talking about?" he exclaimed, his voice rising. "He was a thug! What more is there to know?!"

"When Sanosuke met me, he was guarding my jail cell, okay?!" she replied, matching her volume with his. "But he didn't judge me because of it, and he was even willing to become my friend when no one else in the camp would come near me!"

"Kyouri…" his tone was back to its previous degree.

"Sano's a good guy," she said softly. "He's not like the other bastards we've met…" She buried her face in her arms so only her aggravated eyes could be seen.

"But, you said it yourself, you hardly know him."

"…then I wanna get to know him…"

Yamainu sighed heavily as he leaned back, tilting his head up, "Man, Sachi was right."

"What?" Kyouri asked, turning to look at him.

"You wanna stay here."

"What? But, Yami, I can't…" she trailed off, her eyes widening and raising her head.

"Look," he said, leaning forward and looking directly at her, "For a second, forget about me, forget about the twins, and forget about any possible bastards looking for you, and ask yourself if you really want to stay here."

She was quiet as she averted her gaze from him, "That's just the thing, I can't forget about you or the twins." Yamainu didn't answer, but stood up and walked in front of her.

"Kyouri, I'd be an idiot if I said I didn't care about you, you're like a little sister to me." His usually stern eyes were soft. "Please, don't do anything you'd regret. I just want you to be happy." She was quiet as the soft sound of the river murmured around them.

"Yami…" she said in an undertone as she looked up at him with distraught green eyes, looking so small curled up on the log. "I don't know what to do…" He squatted down on his haunches, so he was at the same eye level as her, then reached out and pulled her into a hug as she buried her face into his shoulder.

Incredible, the last time she had been this upset they had been standing on a bridge, and she had been crying over the same guy…

"It's okay, you're not the type to rush things like this, just give it some time, okay?" She nodded. "You've got a few days before we leave, just make sure you're sure."

"But… if I do… what will you do?" she asked, lifting her head and looking at him.

He shrugged, "I dunno, it's been a while since I've seen my mom or my clan, maybe I'll stop by there."

"What about Shousei and Sachi?"

"They can come with me, or do what they want. It's okay, Kyouri, we can take care of ourselves." She gazed at him and nodded again, resting her head on his shoulder again.

"Thanks…" she said in a muffled whisper.

Meanwhile, someone was watching from the bridge that was downstream. He shrugged, and turned to walk away.

_I should've guessed,_ Sano muttered mentally to himself, trying to act indifferent, but feeling a strange, heavy sensation in the pit of his stomach anyways.

-

-

-Note: Okay, I'm feeling nervous. It seems like forever since I've written an angsty chapter! I liked the nightmare, though, I'm good at that kind of stuff. (-points at herself-) Evil.

I was gonna elaborate more on them doing random acts of cleaning at the dojo, but I got bored and decided to hurry it up. This chapter has had, like, a million versions (most of which are now in my recycle bin folder). It's still not perfect (of course), but , whatever.

**Reviewer Responses:**

**WhiteRabbit5:** Ah, comfort zone (happy place!). I really couldn't resist, I love to rag on Kaoru's cooking (it's just so easy!). Don't worry, tho', it's out of my system now. On another note, I was gonna start yelling at you for not updating SoC, but I just went to your profile and saw that note. Aww, that's so sad. My condolences! (I'd hate not being able to use my computer). Is your room at least gonna be cooler when it's done?

**Rayne-chan:** You're welcome! And, I'm looking forward to it! Thank you!

**cowsattacknow!: **Hee hee, funny name. Thank you!

**Haki:** Yay! Thank you! Ah, I also read your profile (hope ya don't mind). Hablas español? De donde eres? (don't answer if you don't want to). I'm from Mexico, but I live in AZ now… (bleh). Anyways, thanks for reading!

**omasuoniwabanashu:** You!?! Wow! You read my fic?? You're so cool! (-glomp!-). Thank you!! I like funny stuff when I feel like it, but I also love low key drama and angst, so my fic will have both. More drama than funny, I think, though… "Intriguing" characters, huh? (lol) Yep, they're pretty weird.

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Has anyone noticed the categories this story's under? Kudos to anyone who can guess why.

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If you're reading this, please, please leave a review! I really don't care if all you say is "Good/Bad, update soon/drop dead", just do it!!

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	10. Chapter 5: Decided

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Chapter 5: Decided

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-

She jerked up and slapped her hand over her mouth, stifling the scream that almost escaped to wake her friends. She looked around the room, seeing that both Shousei and Sachi were sleeping soundly in their futons, so she loosened the grip around her mouth. Breathing heavily she wiped the sweat off her forehead, hearing her heart pounding in her ears.

It took her nearly five minutes to calm herself down.

"Damn it, _damn it_…" she muttered quietly to herself as she balled her fists and squeezed her eyes shut. When would these damn nightmares stop?

_I'm tired of being exhausted all day and waking up late because I can't sleep at night_, she thought as she settled back in her bed, trying to forget the nightmare.

-

She sighed heavily as she landed on the roof with a muffled thump, her shoulders slumping in irritation and her hair disheveled from tossing around in bed so much, a grumpy expression on her face. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get back to sleep.

She sat down at the top of the roof, where both slants met, leaning back and letting the night air play with her messy bangs. She moved the long braid Shousei had done for her before bed from under her and lay down, looking up at the multitude of silver dots that twinkled innocently down at the world.

Yamainu had asked her to forget, but how could she forget Yami or the twins? More importantly, how could she forget him?

Especially now that her dreams were constantly reminding her of his sheer malevolence.

Nikushimi, brother of her father, yet different beyond recognition. He was the cause of so much unwanted hatred and pain in herself, at herself, and to others.

He killed her father for marrying a common woman outside his permission, for belittling the family name. He killed her father when he tried to protect his wife.

Part of her wanted to be angry at her father as well, for marrying such a woman and having a child like herself: unwanted in too many places.

But another half wanted to ask, was it worth it?

Memories of her father and mother flashed through her mind, memories that had long been forgotten resurfaced and she watched as they flowed before her like a river of time…

-

They were walking down a sunny path, holding hands. Their three year old daughter looked up at her parents, surprised to see them looking at each other affectionately with such tenderness that she had to wonder if they were in _love_…

-

They were in the kitchen, having dismissed the servants for the day, trying to cook as they mocked each other good naturedly. The small child walked in to see her mother throwing a handful of rice at her father after he had made one too many jokes about over cooked onigiri…

-

They were sitting on the small porch, their feet swinging in unison as he ran his fingers through her long brown hair…

-

The small child watched as her father bowed his head in shame as her mother continued shouting, struggling against her captors as they dragged her away, telling him, begging him, that it wasn't true…

-

His body was sprawled all over the floor, his dark black blood seeping closer and closer to his small, petrified daughter who was crouched in the corner of the room, her eyes transfixed on the bloody sight in front of her…

-

The young girl watched as her mother, the woman he had loved, walked down the gray path, leaving the small girl behind with her vicious uncle, abandoning the shameful daughter…

-

The pain, the hatred, bore into the girl, burning the fear she had for her demon of an uncle for years to come…

-

_Was it worth it?_

-

-

"Oh boy, we should've stuck with cleaning the practice hall," Shousei sighed as she looked down at the malformed balls of rice she and her sister were making. She giggled, "Look! It's Yamainu!" She held up the grumpy looking ball to her sister, but Sachi just smiled weakly before returning to her task. Shousei sighed heavily and tried to smooth out "Yamainu."

Sachi had been uncharacteristically quiet all morning, not even participating in the usual playful banter she and Yamainu took part in every morning over breakfast, choosing to brood over her bowl of rice instead. Shousei knew her sister, and she knew something was bothering Sachi.

"Maybe we should get Kenshin-kun to help us, he makes great riceballs," Shousei mused. Then she added thoughtfully, "He reminds me a lot of nii-san." She snapped her mouth shut, remembering how the topic of their family was always a touchy subject with Sachi.

"Yeah, the red hair helps, too," Sachi said quietly. Shousei looked at her sister with amazement as a smile spread across the other girl's face. "Onigiri was all nii-san could make, I wonder if he's learned anything else."

"…I don't know," Shousei replied, almost hesitantly, wondering if the subject of their family was what was bothering her sister.

"Nii-sama is probably married by now, don't you think?" she continued, oblivious to the apprehensive look on her sister's face.

"Probably," Sachi replied, looking down at the table and rolling "Yamainu" in the palm of her hand for the millionth time.

"I wonder if nii-dono has managed to deflate his head, he's probably still bossing everyone else around." Shousei shrugged in response, feeling a lead weight descend on her stomach as memories of her family surfaced in her mind. "If he does, then our little brothers probably yell at him, then otou-san probably comes out and yells at all of them." Sachi's voice cracked. "Then kaa-san has to come out and make all of them be quiet because they'll wake all the birds in the forest and scare all the babies into crying, creating a racket for the entire village." Shousei noticed a drop fall on Sachi's trembling hands. She looked up to see that tears were streaming down her sister's face. "I-If I could, I'd like to see all that again; you know, to see if they're still like they were three years ago." She looked up at Shousei, tears still falling down her face onto her kimono. "I wonder if they remember us…"

Shousei dropped her riceball on the counter abruptly as she faced her younger sister, feeling tears beginning to burn in her own eyes. "Of course they remember us! How could they forget their only two sisters?"

"Y-yeah." Sachi tried smiling, but her lip quivered and she couldn't hold the grin. "But they probably made themselves forget. Who would want two runaway daughters or sisters?" The tears that had been pooling in Shousei's wide eyes overflowed and ran down her face. Sachi squeezed her eyes shut as her whole body shook with suppressed sobs, then she looked up at Shousei, "D-Do you think they've forgiven us?"

"S-Sachi…" Shousei said, her voice shaking as well.

"D-Do you think they'd mind, if we d-dropped by for a little b-bit?" A whimper finally broke through, so that a sharp pain embedded itself in Sachi's stomach and throat as she tried her hardest not to sob… too hard. "I m-miss them… our family…" At that moment Sachi looked so pitiful, just like she would years ago when she couldn't please her parents.

Except this time Shousei also felt a pang of desperation in her chest.

Shousei wrapped her arms around her younger sister, not saying anything as they both cried into each other's shoulders.

_Kami, let them remember us…_

-

-

Kyouri sighed heavily as she wrapped her arms around her legs, looking at the river ahead of her as she sat on the small log.

The atmosphere in the dojo had been too heavy for her; it was as if everyone but Kaoru and Yahiko was brooding on something. She had hoped to talk to Sanosuke, but he had dropped by for only a little while, and he had made a pointed effort to avoid her for some reason.

That had really bugged her.

_He must have his reasons_, Kyouri mentally reasoned with herself for the hundredth time that day, so as not to go rampaging through Tokyo looking for the guy to ask him what the hell was his problem.

_What the hell's _your_ problem?_ a small voice in the back of her head asked her. _Ten years of ignoring random guys and you get hung up over this one?_

_Sano's not random_, she pouted. _I've known him for a long time._

Before the small voice could retort she saw said rooster-head sauntering down the bridge that was a little ways downstream. She lifted her head and caught him as he glanced at her. He stopped, not breaking eye contact.

Would he ignore her and head straight to the dojo, or would he come down and talk to her?

He seemed to be thinking this over as he stood there. Hours seemed to click by for Kyouri, and she finally sighed and buried her head back in her arms.

It's not like she could _force_ him to talk to her.

…Well, okay, she could, but it wouldn't be the same as him talking to her willingly.

More hours slipped by as she watched the sun sink slowly into the silhouette of buildings behind the river, then she finally heard him sit down besides her.

"Glad you're not ignoring me," she said. He didn't answer and a vein began to throb on her forehead. She looked up at him, ready to chuck him into the river if need be, but stopped cold when she saw the serious look on his face as he watched the river.

They sat in silence, a tense air lingering around them.

"So do you actually like it?" he asked, not shifting his gaze from the river.

"What?"

"Running around Japan like you do, do you like it?"

She shrugged, hiding any feelings with an indifferent expression, "It's not the best lifestyle, but it'll do."

"Some life," Sano muttered, his impassive air disappearing under irritation.

She gave him a harsh look, "I don't care how I live as long as I do it away from him."

He turned and looked at her, surprising her with the sharpness of his honey brown eyes, "Well you should."

She frowned. "Just because I've got different priorities…"

"Don't you get it?" Sano snapped back, his frustration flaring. "You've been running for the past ten years to keep away from him so you could control your own life, but even if he's not here physically he's still managing to do that! If you really want to take control of your own life, then do what you want when you want without worrying about that bastard!"

Kyouri was stunned as Sano gave an exasperated snort and stood up, looking down the river with the same hard expression, his face set so seriously it was a little frightening.

"To be able to live how you want, 'complete equality,' that was the Captain's dream, what he lived and died for." Kyouri's eyes were widened with amazement.

Sano…When did he become like this…?

She stopped herself mid-thought, mentally berating herself for being astounded by his behavior. After ten years, Sanosuke had grown into a man, much more than the little boy she had last known, and probably much more than most nineteen year olds in Tokyo. She kept seeing him for the child that had followed their Captain around relentlessly, but now he was a man that was living with his own ideals in his own life.

It was wrong of her to impose on his lifestyle so much. After all, that was how he chose to live.

Could she really do the same?

She looked up at him again, noting how tall he was, probably as tall as Yamainu. Only, he had grown up in a lot more different ways.

He was a different person now, but could she stay here and get to know him again?

It was, after all, what she had been waiting for, running for… wasn't it?

Choose.

_I just want to be happy… like my father would have wanted._

Kyouri sighed audibly, then leaned back, balancing on the log with such a casual air that it surprised Sano, making his serious face falter.

"To think my angel of reasoning would be you, Sanosuke," Kyouri sighed lazily once again, a smile forming on her face.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sano said, arching his eyebrow and wondering if he had just been insulted or complimented.

"Nothing, nothing," Kyouri grinned openly now, but then her face darkened thoughtfully as she looked down at her feet. "But, you know, you may have a point." Now Sano arched both eyebrows at her. She beamed up at him. "I kinda like it in Tokyo, maybe I'll stay for a while. After all, I did promise Kaoru-chan I'd give her cooking lessons." Now Sano grinned, his usual care free expression taking its place on his face. That had been a lot easier than he had thought. He had at least expected to get thrown into the river or something.

"Kami knows she needs 'em," he replied, putting his hands in his pockets. They looked at each other amiably, the orange sun setting behind him and giving him a gold lining. He turned and noted the approaching nighttime as she heard a small rumble escape from his stomach. "Speaking of which, I think it's almost time for dinner." Kyouri raised her eyebrow at him, grinning widely. His stomach worked just like clockwork. He caught the strange look she was giving him. "What? I take my food seriously." She chuckled, standing up besides him, sighing again.

"Sano?" she asked, glancing up at him.

"What?"

"Thanks." She smiled gratefully at him from under the long brown bangs that hung over her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, no problem," Sano shrugged as he began walking up the bank. "Just note that I'm staying away from Kenshin and his washtub."

"And I guess…" Kyouri sighed. "…that I'm okay with that."

"Good."

"All righty then." They grinned at each other again, standing in the tall grass in silence, reaching an unspoken understanding.

"Did I mention I was hungry?"

"Kami, Sano, just get going," she said with an exasperated grin as she walked past him.

-

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Note:

Hmm…

Hmmmmm….

Hmmmmmmmmmmm….

I did a lot of thinking in this chapter…. Well, okay, not a lot, but more than usual!

This chapter was a lot longer than it is now, complete with a really bizarre nightmare and a whole lot of unnecessary drama, which I obviously cut out (with good reason… I hope). So, this chapter is really really short.

In any case, I hope you guys enjoyed it!

**Reviewer Responses:**

**Haki:** Cool, your mom's Japanese? And it's AZ as in Arizona, the evil state. Thanks for reviewing my other fic! I'm gonna respond to those reviews here because I'm currently having a complete brain fart on that story. Don't expect any updates too soon. Yesh, I love Enishi-chan too (not as much as Sano, but what the hey). And, nope, Sano's not gonna be in that fic (he's somewhere in Mongolia at that time). Very sad…. As for her age, I dunno, maybe, like, twenty five or something? I have to do the math, but I'm feeling lazy right now. Anyway, thank youuuu!

**Rayne-chan:** Suspense and mystery! Whoo ooo (-makes weird noises and waves arms around until sister gives her a weird look and she stops-). Heh, I'm glad you liked that chapter!

**WhiteRabbit5:** Hurray! I am sooo glad you liked that chapter! And BRING IT ON! C/C rocks, if ya ask me. Mwa ha ha, I'm good with nightmares (I'm creepy that way). Well, I'm not gonna say why it's 'supernatural,' but I'll be dropping hints, so keep an eye out for those!

**Omasuoniwabanshu:** Bing bing bing! Yep, Kyouri's the 'supernatural,' but… why? (-shifty eyes-). I'm glad to have the honor of being the first to glomp you virtually! Congratulations to me! Thanks for reviewing!

-

Kie-san's random note on irrelevant random stuff:

I like manga. No, I love manga. Yes, anime's cool, but manga… wow. So, you can imagine how happy I was when I found the site directmanga . com. They upload SCANNED AND TRANSLATED MANGA for people to download by chapter and read… for free! So, what does this have to do with anything?

THEY HAVE THE COMPLETE RUROUNI KENSHIN MANGA.

So! GO. GET. IT. If you haven't read the manga but like the anime, then I swear you'll love the manga sooo much and realize that the anime's really not… that…great… And if you haven't read the Jinchuu arc (with Enishi-chan), then do yourself a favor and go read it (volumes 18 and up).

Just spreadin' the love here!

-

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Please don't forget to review!

-

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	11. Chapter 6: Getting Settled In

Chapter 6: Getting Settled In

Sanosuke ambled down the busy Tokyo street, glancing lazily at the several shops and people strolling around and buying thing. He noticed the Akabeko and vaguely wondered if any of his friends would be there right now, then decided to change his course and head for the shop. He walked in, ducking under the flaps with his hands shoved in his pockets, then skimmed the tables with his eyes. No one here, he noticed, maybe he'd get Kaoru to take them out to dinner tonight.

"Oh, Sanosuke-san," a feminine voice said from behind him. "What brings you here?" Sanosuke turned around to see Tae, one of the waitresses and daughter of the owner of the Akabeko.

"Oh, hey Tae," Sano responded. "Just seeing if anyone was in here."

"There's no one here besides Kyouri," Tae smiled politely.

"Kyouri's here?" Sano asked, raising his eyebrows in surprise.

"Yes, didn't you know she was working for us? She has been for almost a week now, as a cook."

"Oh, yeah, I think I remember her mentioning something about that…" Sano mused.

Tae gave him an exasperated smile, "Well, her shift is about done. Would you like me to call her out? You could walk to the dojo together."

"Yeah, sure, thanks," Sano grinned.

Tae smiled as she turned, "Kaoru-chan and Kenshin-san haven't dropped by in a while, please tell them to come by when they can."

"Sure thing."

Soon after Tae had disappeared behind the door Kyouri appeared, smiling as she trotted up to Sanosuke.

"I'm surprised you'd come and pick me up," she said cheerfully.

"Hm, I had forgotten you worked here. I was just heading to the dojo, so I thought I may as well see if anyone was around," Sano shrugged, grinning as he turned to walk out of the restaurant.

"Gee, thanks," she said sarcastically as she followed, and they began walking down the road towards the dojo.

"It's been more than a week, huh?" Sano asked. "How're you doing?"

"Pretty good," Kyouri responded happily. "It's actually been a lot easier than I thought to get into the stride of a working life, I thought I'd be a lot more miserable without them."

"I think they're probably the ones miserable without you," Sano said, "Remember how long it took for them to say goodbye?"

* * *

Flashback-

"So this is really it?"

"Yep."

"You're sure you wanna stay here?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"We're really gonna split up?"

"Looks like it."

"Awww, Kyouri-chaaaan!"

GLOMP!

"Gah!" she gasped as the air was squeezed out of her lungs by the two over emotional twins.

"We're gonna miss youuuu!" Sachi whined as she dislocated her friend's back.

"It just won't be the same!" Shousei exclaimed sadly.

"Uh huh…" Kyouri managed to squeak through the rib breaking double embrace as her face turned a shade of blue. The two girls finally let the third go, and she took a deep intake of well missed air.

"You sure you don't wanna come?" Shousei asked. "I'm sure Yamainu would love for you to see his old village!"

"Eh, no thanks," Kyouri smiled apprehensively. "Cats and dogs, you know?"

"Cats and _wolves_," Yamainu corrected as he walked up to them.

"Right," Shousei said, turning back to Kyouri and ignoring Yamainu. "But you could come and meet our parents and family!"

"Yeah," Kyouri said, a tone of sarcasm in her voice. "I could see your parent's reaction for bringing an indecently garbed noneko home with you: it involves your mom having a heart attack and your dad mauling me."

"Aww, they're really not that bad!" Then Shousei added nervously, "… I think."

"Oh well, it doesn't matter!" Sachi exclaimed suddenly. "We'll send you a letter when we get home!"

Kyouri beamed, "Okay, I'm looking forward to it."

Sachi sidled up to Kyouri, whispering in her ear, "And I'm looking forward to coming back and seeing lots of little Kyouri's and Sanosuke's running around."

"Okay then!" Kyouri exclaimed a little too cheerfully, a vein throbbing on her head. "Time to go, don't you think!" She pushed both twins as Sachi grinned mischievously toward the gate. Yamainu looked on, and sighed heavily.

"Kyouri?" he asked as he walked up to her, a strangely soft look in his usually stern slate blue eyes. Kyouri looked up at him, and felt a bubble of sadness inflating inside her. She turned towards him then reached up and hugged him tightly, the tips of her toes coming off the ground as she held on. He seemed a little surprised, but hugged her back warmly.

"You take care of yourself, okay?" Yamainu said as they parted from their embrace.

"Of course!" Kyouri exclaimed happily, although there was a sad look in her eyes. "You too, try not to get into too much trouble, please?"

He smiled, "Yeah, I'll try."

"Awww…." Sachi and Shousei sighed, tears welling up in their eyes, making both Yamainu and Kyouri cast them strange looks.

"One last thing," Yamainu said, striding over to Sanosuke, the familiar sternness back in his eyes. He got in real close, so that their noses were inches apart, then growled quietly, "If I hear one thing out of Kyouri, I'm gonna shove a stick up your ass, cook you up rotisserie style, and feed you to my village."

"OKAY! TIME TO GO NOW!" Kyouri yelled, beads of sweat on her face and a vein throbbing slightly on her forehead. Yamainu snorted threateningly and gave Sanosuke the death glare from hell as he backed away, leaving a very perplexed looking Sanosuke.

"What the hell's his problem?" Sano muttered, frowning as Kyouri and her friends stood by the gate.

"You guys can come back anytime," Kaoru said happily as she and the rest of the Kenshin-gumi joined the group for final farewells. "We're always willing to have a few more helping hands here!"

"And a few more people who can actually cook," Yahiko muttered. Kaoru heard him and knuckled him over the head briskly.

"It was very nice to meet you all, de gozaru," Kenshin smiled as Yahiko rubbed his head and flashed angry looks at his sensei. "I hope you have safe trips."

"Yeah, thanks," Yamainu grunted, although in a more cheerful way.

"Take care of Kyouri for us, Kaoru-chan!" Sachi winked as Kaoru giggled and Kyouri felt conspired against.

"See you guys later," Sano smiled at the girls, though he ignored Yamainu.

"We'll keep in touch!" Shousei smiled. "Look for a letter in the mail!"

"I don't know how long it'll take for us to get home," Sachi said, "Since I have no idea how we're gonna be received by Yamainu's village, then there's how long it'll take for the letter to actually be delivered…"

"Can we get going already?" Yamainu hissed, cutting her off and looking harassed.

"Aww, fuzz-head's anxious to see his family," Sachi grinned. "Let's go!"

And like that all three of them disappeared behind the gate, Yamainu's exclamations of "I'm NOT fuzzy!" and the twin's laughter dying down as they ran down the road.

* * *

End Flashback-

Kyouri laughed, also remembering their goodbye, "Yeah, I can't wait to hear about how Sachi and Shousei drove Yami crazy during their trip." Kyouri sighed happily as she played with this thought in her head.

"It must be hard," Sano said, his voice taking a shadier tone, although Kyouri didn't seem to notice. "You've been with them for, what, ten years?"

"I met the twins only a few years ago, but I met Yamainu almost immediately after I left the Sekihoutai," she responded. "He looked out for me when I felt completely lost, when I found out the Sekihoutai had been disbanded." She looked up at Sanosuke. "And when I thought you had died."

Sano stopped walking, looking at her with surprise, "You thought I had died?"

She grinned sheepishly, and a little sadly, "Yeah, but… he helped me through it, he wouldn't let me give up. Yamainu really was like a big brother to me."

_Big… brother?_

Sano laughed suddenly, feeling a burst of cheer wash over him unexpectedly. He grinned at Kyouri, "You thought I had died? Why?"

"Hey!" she remarked, taking his laughter for mock. "It was a completely reasonable deduction! A lot of the Sekihoutai was attacked and killed!" Sano kept laughing, not necessarily about what she had said, but he couldn't help feeling happy for some reason. "Stop laughing!" she yelled suddenly, and he noticed she looked disturbed, almost angry. "You don't get it… how hard it was to think you had died… I really thought I had lost everything…"

Sano's laugh had long died out, though it rang in his ears as he looked at Kyouri with shock as she glared back at him. She snorted angrily after he didn't say anything, and began storming down the road leaving him standing there.

"Hey… Oi, Kyouri! Wait!" Sano yelled, catching up to Kyouri. "Hey, come one, why're you so angry?"

She whirled around angrily, "Go back and die!"

"Eh?" Sano muttered as she turned and stomped off. "Oi, don't be like that! What'd I do?"

"Insensitive bastard," Kyouri mumbled irritably. "I can't believe you'd laugh like that. I seriously thought you were gone, and you were _laughing_." Sano stopped, grabbing her by the wrist and halting her.

"Let go," she growled, piercing him with a furious glare. He didn't flinch, however (even though he felt a chill run down his spine), and kept his grip steady on her wrist.

"You weren't the only one…" he said quietly, his brow furrowing and his honey brown eyes glowing softly in the afternoon sun. "I looked for you, I'm sure I looked everywhere… but I couldn't find you…" Kyouri's anger ebbed away as quickly as it came with this turn of events. "After that, I arrived at Tokyo, and I gave up…" He gazed steadily at her. "Sorry."

The last of her anger disappeared, and she sighed ruefully as she saw him give her that remorseful look, "Baka, there's nothing to apologize for." She smiled. "At least we're here now. The present is all that matters."

"Right," Sano grinned. He let go of her wrist and began walking again. "Anyways, come on, we've wasted enough time chatting."

" 'We'? You're the one that started the conversation," she replied, evening her stride with him and looking at him with half lidded eyes.

"Yeah, but you're the one that got all 'emotional' and started freaking out."

_Moosh._

"Say that one more time and you'll end up with more than a bump on your head," Kyouri growled as she left a stunned Sanosuke in the dust with a throbbing head.

* * *

"Okay, now you cut the fish," Kyouri said as she held out the knife for Kaoru to take. "And I'll roll the vinegared rice."

"Okay," Kaoru nodded determinedly, taking the knife and looking at the slab of fish before her. Kyouri had insisted on starting their "cooking lessons" today, and Kaoru had already caused her share of mayhem by accidentally dropping an opened bottle of spice into the soup, mistaking cooking wine for vinegar, and, of course, burning the rice. Still, Kyouri had yet to lose her temper and Kaoru was starting to relax a little more with her constant reassurances.

Sort of.

"You're cutting the fish too thinly," Kyouri stated as she looked at her friend's progress. "It won't give the sushi and flavor and all everyone will end up eating is vinegared rice balls." Kaoru cut another piece. "Now that one's too thick. If you have too much fish the taste will be too strong." She smiled at her determined looking friend who was chewing on her lip with anxiousness. "It's all about balance, Kaoru-chan! You should know this stuff, being a kenjutsu teacher!"

"Kenjutsu and cooking are completely different things!" Kaoru exclaimed, her voice escalating along with her panic, waving the knife in her hand around dangerously. "If cooking was as easy as kenjutsu, I'd be assistant master of the kitchen!" She slammed the knife down on the cutting board angrily as her frustration mounted. "Who CARES about cooking anyway! I'll just get Kenshin to do it!" She looked at Kyouri, a fire burning in her eyes as Kyouri backed away, deciding that her friend just needed a little room. "You know what! I've got enough to worry about! Between trying to save my father's sword style, making sure that baka Kenshin doesn't get killed, and feeding all the freeloaders, cooking should be the least of my problems!"

"W-well it's not like you're gonna be a master chef or anything," Kyouri said as she smiled anxiously. "But everyone should know how to make a decent meal every now and then. Besides, what if Kenshin isn't around?"

"Who said he was leaving?" Kaoru growled, narrowing her eyes. " 'Rurouni' my foot, he should stay here with me! After all I…" Kaoru stopped suddenly, slapping her hand over her mouth as her face turned beet red.

"Yes?" Kyouri asked, arching her eyebrows and grinning in a very Sachi-ish way.

"N-nothing," Kaoru tried to say firmly as she looked away.

"And so it all comes together…" Kyouri grinned, causing Kaoru's face to redden even more.

"What?" Kaoru asked with a challenging air.

"Nothing," Kyouri smiled happily. "Anyways, if you want, I can finish up dinner."

Kaoru sighed heavily, having finally calmed down, "No, you're right, I should at _least_ be able to make riceballs…" Kyouri laughed, patting Kaoru on the head reassuringly.

"That's the spirit!" she said cheerfully. "All right then, how about we switch jobs? You'll make the riceballs for the sushi and I'll cut the fish."

Kaoru smiled, "Hai!"

* * *

"….Well…?" she asked anxiously as Kyouri slurped the soup from the ladle. Kyouri straightened, then looked thoughtful as she licked her lips.

A few expectant seconds ticked by.

"Not bad!" she replied happily. "Interesting flavor, I think those spices did more good than harm!"

"YAY!" Kaoru exclaimed, throwing her hands up in success. "I made something that doesn't turn people green!"

"Yay!" Kyouri exclaimed as well, mimicking Kaoru cheerfully. Both girls laughed, as if they had been doing this for years.

Kaoru sighed happily, a look of pride and relief in her eyes. She looked at Kyouri with a grateful expression, "Thank you."

Kyouri chuckled as she set the sushi onto a large plate, "No problem, Kaoru-chan. Besides, you've been feeding that freeloader all this time, it's the least I can do."

"Ah, and so it all comes together…" Kaoru giggled, echoing what Kyouri had said earlier.

"Um, right," Kyouri responded, an anxious smile on her face, which Kaoru noticed.

"Kyouri-chan?" she asked.

"Hai?"

"Just…. just how much do you like Sanosuke?" Kyouri was silent, giving Kaoru a slightly surprised look.

"Well…" Kyouri said thoughtfully, putting her hand behind her head. "It'd be stupid to say I didn't care about the rooster, I really do, and always have…" A moment of silence passed between the two girls. Suddenly Kyouri looked up at Kaoru with a sheepish grin, "I guess he can be like a little brother or best friend to me, but I don't know if there's anything… beyond that. It doesn't matter, really, because I'm having such a good time here anyway that I'm glad I stayed, for whatever reason."

Kaoru's eyes widened in surprise, "Really?" She could've sworn Kyouri loved Sanosuke, and she was almost sure Sanosuke loved her, but did she really think of themselves as "close friends"?

"Yep," she answered cheerfully. "Anyways, we should hurry up and finish before everyone dies of hunger."

Kaoru smiled, "Right." A thought crossed Kaoru's mind, thinking of what her father had told her about the proper "marrying age." "Kyouri-chan, just how old are you anyway?"

Kyouri stopped working, looking up thoughtfully. "Um…" She frowned in concentration. "It's been a while since I thought of that…" She smiled. "I think I'm eighteen."

_She "thinks"?_ Kaoru thought, perspiration mounting on her forehead. Sanosuke made the weirdest friends.

_No, that's not right,_ Kaoru smiled. _We're all a little weird, that's why we all get along so well._

"Kaoru-chan? Time to come back now," Kyouri said, waving her hand in front of Kaoru's face. "Almost dinner time, remember?"

"Oh! Right, sorry!" Kaoru smiled sheepishly as she set to work again. Kyouri smiled, also returning to the sushi she was placing. She tried to keep her appearance as cheerful as before, so Kaoru wouldn't think anything of it, but something had punctured the easy going happiness she had been feeling a little while ago. What she had said to Kaoru was true, it's just that she had left something out: the fact that she was actually holding back, kind of hoping she and Sanosuke would have the affection she and Yamainu shared.

She had turned these things over in her mind constantly over the past week, and she had come to a conclusion that she could never really love Sanosuke because she was always holding back. Not only was she still wary of the idea that her uncle could find her again and that she'd have to leave, but she knew she would never be able to give herself completely to Sanosuke as long as she kept her secret hidden from him.

Her hand subconsciously went to the red necklace around her neck. As long as she had this, she could always keep her secret.

Always hope that he would never find out…

_As long as things are this way, a friendship with Sanosuke is the most I can hope for…_

_

* * *

_

Note: GASP! I updated! (-looks around to see how many people have forgotten about this fic-).

I put in more hints about what her secret is, can anyone guess it yet? Anyone...?

Sorry about the long wait, guys, but man was I lacking in the creative juices! Seriously, I was considering killing of Kyouri or something just to end the fic since I couldn't think of anything to write! (-dodges onslaught of pineapples-) Point taken, I won't kill the main character… or will I? (-shifty eyes-).

**Reviewer Responses:**

**WhiteRabbit5:** Well, we're just gonna have to wait and see, ne? (-grin-). I'm glad you liked that scene! Balance, um, right, I was totally going for that! I know you don't like the whole "Kaoru can't cook" thing since it's overdone, but at least I made it so that she concocted something edible! (-grin, sweatdrop-). Another thing, you really need to hurry up with that summary, woman!

**Omasuoniwabanshu:** Thank you! (-bounces up and down-) I'm _really_ glad you liked that scene too! And (-bows-) sorry, sorry, sorry, I haven't had a chance to read your updates at all! It really sucks, since I've been so busy (-glares at homework and teachers-), but I swear I'm gonna read it soon! (Must… know… what happens next…).

**Haki:** Japanese and Argentinean, very tricky (-nod nod-). Aw, give Sano some credit! He can be serious when he wants to! Yeahhh, I guess I should've been more specific about what part of the onigiri was burned… heh. Anyways, glad you're reading!

**Bryttany:** Thank you, and don't hope for quick updates too much. (-grin, sweatdrop-)

**WolfDaughter:** Seriously? You spent an hour of your valuable time reading this? Wow, thankies! (-grin!-)

Well, I hope you guys are still into this fic, seeing as I've suddenly gotten a burst of inspiration (okay, more like a trickle), so I hope I'll be writing more.

Thanks for reading!

REVIEW OR DIE!

(-innocent smile-)


	12. Chapter 7: Discovery

**Before I start this chapter, I'd like to say this…**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin, but if all goes well, I should own the world by noon tomorrow!**

**Also, this chapter is based heavily on the manga (I took a lot of the conversations from straight out there). If you've only seen the anime, it's okay, just know that Sano didn't fight Kenshin in the manga.**

**

* * *

**

Chapter 7: Discovery

* * *

"Nishiki paintings?" Sano asked around the fishtail in his mouth, looking up at Tae and Tsubame.

"Yes," Tae said, "The gallery's fetching in some new ones, but the artist is so popular they sell right out. And we can't get out of work, so…"

"So you want _me_ to go buy them for you," Sano finished.

"If it's not too much trouble," Tae smiled.

"Why ask me? Why not make Yahiko…"

"'Cause I'm working too, idiot!" Yahiko yelled. "Some of us _do_ work for a living!" He stomped off angrily as Sano wondered vaguely why he had been listening.

"Come on, Sano," Kyouri said as she pulled on the loose ends of his headband, "Don't be a bum, it's not like it's all that much trouble or anything."

"And why are _you_ out here?" Sano asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Break time!" she responded cheerfully, holding up a riceball.

"Well," Sano said, turning towards Tae and getting up, "You _have_ treated me to a lot of meals, so… Fine, I'll get your paintings."

"I put those meals on your tab," Tae pointed out, "It's no treat."

"Kinda academic, isn't it?" Sano frowned. "You know I'll never pay."

"Hey, Kyouri!" a cook exclaimed from the back, "Come on! It's the middle of lunch hour! Get back here!"

"Mou," Kyouri frowned, "I'm going, I'm going. See ya later, Sano."

"Yeah, bye," Sano replied, stuffing his hands in his pockets as Kyouri sauntered back into the kitchen.

"Your break isn't until another hour!" the cook that had called her in reprimanded. "What were you doing out there?"

"Just chattin' with Tae-chan," Kyouri grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, I won't do it again."

"You'd better not," the cook snorted angrily as he set back to work. She shrugged, picking up the latest order and getting started.

As she worked, she mused on the fact that everyone, Sano included since he was already back to mooching, seemed to get right back on their feet after the whole "Raijuta incident." She kinda figured that the fact that he had turned out to be a complete, and pathetic, fraud and that Yutarou had lost the use of his right arm for swordsmanship would leave more of an impression.

To have your role model, your dream, come out to be the century's biggest fake…To have everything you believed in shot down so easily… She couldn't imagine what that would be like…

At least Captain Sagara had stayed true to his beliefs until the very end.

"Oh well," she sighed, "It all worked out in the end, so it's nothing to brood about."

"Kyouri-san…" a neighbor cook said with a perplexed look on her face, "What're you talking about?"

Kyouri smiled nervously, waving her hand, "Nothing, nothing, just thinking to myself." _Yutarou's fine, Raijuta's defeated, and, besides some minor damages to the dojo, there were no casualties, so stop thinking about it and try to concentrate a little more on your work!_

Her determined face faltered, however, when she noticed she was cutting the same hunk of beef for the third time.

**The Next Day**-

"What! You know Tsukioka Tsunan from the old days!" Kaoru and Kenshin exclaimed, perhaps a little too surprised.

"Why am I not surprised you're not surprised?" Sano said, giving them a weird look.

"No, really, we're surprised!" Kenshin said nervously. "_Aren't_ we, Kaoru-dono?"

"We sure are, Kenshin!" Kaoru exclaimed, also nervous.

"Katsu?" Kyouri asked, walking over. "Katsu's here?"

"Oh, hey, Kyouri," Sano grinned. "Yep, he's been hiding out at the Dobu Ita houses at the edge of town. I just found out since he drew a picture of the Captain with both of us in it."

Kyouri smiled, "An artist? That suits him. He was always so dark and moody."

"Yeah…" Sano said, a sweatdrop on his cheek as he looked away. He had forgotten that Katsu and Kyouri had been on less than friendly terms. He turned back to Kaoru and Kenshin. "We want to celebrate the reunion big time, so can we rent the dojo for tonight?"

"Of course," Kaoru said, "but where are you gonna get the money to…?" She suddenly gasped, then advanced on Sanosuke, gripping her shinai threateningly. "You're gonna mooch off me again, aren't you! Then the answer is no! NEVER!"

"Hey, hey," Sano replied, raising his eyebrows at her. "Don't worry, I'll take care of the money." Insert lots of strange looks from Kyouri and the Kenshin-gumi. "Okay? Okay, thanks." Sano began to leave, ignoring the strange looks. "Oh yeah, and would you tell Tae and the little girl? They'll be pleased."

As Kaoru began shaking Kenshin furiously, demanding to know what was wrong with the rooster ("oro oro-ro!"), Kyouri frowned slightly. She didn't exactly hate Katsu, personally she didn't know him well enough to, but just the fact that he was always so edgy around her put her on edge. She pulled her necklace out from under her gi, gazing at it and wondering absent mindedly why it couldn't mask everything…

**Later That Night**-

After a happy night of drinking and eating sushi, every one was curled up in blankets and sleeping soundly, except Kenshin, who was sleeping against the wall holding his sakabatou as he often did, and Yahiko, who was sprawled on the ground and drooling in a drunken sleep.

"At last," Katsu said, "Shall we get going?" He was eager to get started and get out of the dojo. This evening had been extremely awkward for him, someone who had avoided large social scenes for ten years. Not only that, it was hard to see Kyouri and Sanosuke acting so happy, Kyouri especially.

_Katsu, don't tell Kyouri about what we're going to do._

Sanosuke didn't need to worry about that, he was the only one Katsu could trust for a job like this.

And he didn't trust Kyouri. At all.

Besides, she had abandoned the Sekihoutai, so this type of duty was not for her.

"It's your last dinner," Katsu said, not facing Sanosuke, "Did you enjoy it to the fullest?"

"Not really," Sano grinned, "That's not why I had the party. I've made Akabeko and the little girl treat me a lot. This was just a small gift in return." He turned to look at the artist. "How 'bout you? You haven't had a party like that for ten years, did you enjoy it, even a little?"

"Not at all."

"Heh, gloomy to the last."

Katsu paused, "You sure about this, Sanosuke."

"Fool," Sano answered, "If I'm not sure of it, I don't do it."

"Ah," Katsu smiled, "You're restored the Sekihoutai to life, I thank you from the bottom of my heart." He walked to the door, sliding it open. "Lets hurry, if we linger much longer, the sun will rise before we can get the grenades to internal affairs." He walked out, leaving Sanosuke standing in the dojo.

"Sorry, guys," he said to the group of people sleeping behind him. "I won't ask that you understand, but the Sekihoutai… it means too much to me." He began to leave. "Kenshin, when we next meet, I'll be a good and proper outlaw. I won't even complain if you beat me down with your sakabatou." At the door, he turned slightly to look at Kyouri, who was laying down with her back facing him. "Kyouri, I couldn't ask you to do this, I couldn't ask you to throw your life away for something like this. I'm sorry." He slid the door behind him as he stepped out.

A while later, Kenshin got up, sliding his sakabatou into the belt of his hakama, and leaving without a word.

A little later, Kyouri sat up, hugging her legs tightly as silent tears formed in her eyes.

**The Next Day**-

Kyouri sighed, sitting down as she waited for the rice to cook and leaning her head against a post. After Sanosuke had left the night before, she hadn't gotten much sleep, and that was now taking its toll. At least it was her day off, and all the cooking she had to do today was make some bento for the residents of the dojo.

She suddenly didn't feel the same passion she had before for cooking. She frowned, thinking about her job, then lay down, putting her hands behind her head.

She just felt… tired…

It was probably just since she didn't get much sleep… that's all…

"Cooking and laying on the floor? That's not too hygienic." Kyouri shot up, looking at Sanosuke in utter surprise.

"Y-YOU!" she suddenly exclaimed, pointing at him with an accusatory finger.

"Eh?" Sanosuke frowned, his eyes widening. "Yeah, it's me." Kyouri's hand clenched with suppressed anger.

_Thwak!_

"BAKA! MORON! YOU BUM!" she yelled as he gripped his head where she had knuckled him. "YOU'RE HOPELESS!"

"What the hell did I do?" he exclaimed angrily.

"How could you!" she continued, although it seemed her energy and anger was draining, only to be replaced with sadness. "What you said… What makes you think I wouldn't do anything… for the Sekihoutai?" Sano faltered, forgetting the pain in his head.

"You were listening?" he asked quietly. She nodded slowly.

"You're such a jerk…" there was a ball lodged in her throat, and tears were starting to burn in her eyes again. "To leave just like that…" She shot him a pained look. "At least tell me next time, okay?" Sano didn't answer, and she tried to smile. "At least give me a chance, to try to go too… We're Sekihoutai, let's stick together…"

Sanosuke was silent, gazing at her and looking rather guilty, "You're crying?"

"Sh-shut up," she grinned miserably, wiping her eyes. Why the hell was she crying? She hated crying, having done enough of it in her childhood.

Before she could say anything else, he stepped towards her and hugged her.

"Nothing happened, Kenshin stopped us," he said softly as she gasped silently. "I won't leave without telling you, I promise." He let go abruptly and grinned. "So don't cry, okay?"

Kyouri stared at him, then frowned. "You don't have to act like a tough guy," she said, trying to sound casual, "Trying to be a hero to a damsel in distress…"

"I'm not, I really mean it," he responded simply, making her heart skip a beat and her face burn. He watched her, not bothering to hide the amusement from his face. She noticed this, and it only made her face burn even more as she glared at him. She couldn't hold that very long, however, because of the way Sanosuke kept gazing down at her. The soft look in his eyes and the way he was smiling tenderly reminded her of the way her father would smile down at her mother a lifetime ago…

He tilted his head down as her heart pounded against her ribs, inching closer and closer so his sharp features stood out vividly; his honey brown eyes, the slender face and large mouth, the old worn headband on his forehead that held back the wild brown hair of his all came into sharp focus as time seemed to slow down to a crawl and he edged closer.

He was inches away from her.

She seemed transfixed, unable to move as she gazed into the deep brown of his eyes.

She could almost count his eyelashes, and their noses brushed against each other.

She could breathe in his scent, feel his warmth, taste his breath…

She couldn't… didn't want to move…

_Run, little cat, I'll always find you…_

Suddenly time sped up, and before she knew it she had pushed him away and was breathing deeply, her face flushed as he looked at her with a flustered look.

"I-I just remembered I have to buy tofu for lunch!" she lied hurriedly. "Sorry, Sano, but I've gotta get going!" She rushed past him before he could protest, leaving him standing in the kitchen with a deflated feeling sinking into the pit of his stomach.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Oh no, oh no, oh no…" she mumbled to herself repeatedly as she paced around the riverbank, a feeling of panic swelling uncontrollably in her chest. "This wasn't supposed to happen…"

_Honestly, what were you expecting?_

Not this, this was the last thing she wanted…

_Is it really? You've always seemed rather hopeful…_

She was hoping to be happy, to watch him be happy, but any feelings other than friendship would end in extreme pain.

_"No! Ishi! Don't let them take me like this, it's not true! ISHI!"_

The shrieks of her mother were still fresh in her mind. It was true, feelings other than friendship would only end in unnecessary suffering.

This wasn't a fairy tale, love wasn't an unstoppable force that could defeat all odds.

_Love?_

She stopped pacing, her heart pounding in her ears for the second time that day.

When? When did she come to love him so much?

_You loved him the minute he handed you that riceball in that old cell._

"Oh, god, no…." she groaned sadly, sinking down to the ground. "I can't…"

_Can't what? Can't love?_

No, of course not. What happened with her parents should be enough of a reminder that love between people like her and humans just couldn't happen.

_Sanosuke's never cared about appearances_

_-._

_"When Sanosuke met me, he was guarding my jail cell, okay! But he didn't judge me because of it, and he was even willing to become my friend when no one else in the camp would come near me!"_

_-_

This isn't about appearances, this is about his and everyone else's safety.

_From what? From "him"? You haven't seen him for ten years._

That didn't mean he wouldn't appear again.

_"Don't you get it? You've been running for the past ten years to keep away from him so you could control your own life, but even if he's not here physically he's still managing to do that! If you really want to take control of your own life, then do what you want when you want without worrying about that bastard!"_

_-_

Hadn't Sanosuke himself preached about living how you want, in this new age that the Captain had helped build? If she tried to use the excuse of "keeping him safe," she'd just end up hurting his pride and his beliefs.

_"I just want to be happy… like my father would have wanted."_

_-_

Tears formed in her eyes.

_To be happy… to be happy with the person I love is all I want… it's all anyone would want…_

_Will you let me? Sanosuke, will you let me love you… even if I am a monster…?_

He doesn't care about appearances.

_"Kyouri, baka, just give it up! She's not coming back for you! They don't care about us, they never have!"_

_-_

_"Please don't… We can work something out. We'll get the Captain or someone to help. You can stay here."_

_-_

He didn't want her to go.

_"I won't leave without telling you… I promise."_

_-_

Don't leave me… don't let me feel that pain again. I don't think I could take it.

_"Captain Sagara believes in complete equality, even if you're a peasant you should still be able to choose your profession and live happily!"_

_-_

The tears that had been swelling in her eyes overflowed, running down her cheeks as she smiled.

_Equality… for everyone… even me…_

She could tell him. She _would_ tell him. Tell him that she…

"Hello, Kyouri."

Her blood froze, any thoughts that were passing through her mind stopped as every fiber of herself went numb. Jade green eyes widened in complete shock, utter horror.

_No…_

"Why are you looking so scared?"

The same deep voice reverberated around in her blank, buzzing mind as a chill wind blew by, making the wet tears on her face suddenly feel like cold ice.

A large clawed hand appeared on her shoulder. What some would take as a comforting gesture, she took as a menacing and frightening act.

_Don't…. don't look… it can't…_

_Not now._

She couldn't stop it, her face turned by itself.

She found herself staring into dark, red blood eyes that had slits for pupils, staring down at her intently, pulsating maliciousness.

"O…ojii-sama…" she gasped.

* * *

Note: "Ojii-sama" is a very polite (or humble) way of saying "uncle."

GASP! Cliffie! Whee! I put in a LOT more hints, but don't worry too much since all will be revealed next chapter! This one is getting excited since it's leading up to the part I've been planning since I started this fic…. (-grin-)

Sorry if I made Katsu seem kinda evil, but I guess that's just the way Kyouri sees him… And he wasn't _too_ mean… was he?

**Reviewer Responses:**

**FairyMage:** ….. T-T You…. YOU'RE THE FIRST PERSON TO FIGURE THAT OUT! Damn, I've been waiting _forever_ for someone to say something like that…. Thank you! (-hands over Sano plushie, Sagara plushie, and a cookie-). You are not slow at all, and neither are any of my reviewers, but… at least I know _someone's _not gonna be surprised next chapter… Thank you, I take a lot of time to pick the right names for everyone of my OC's, so I'm glad you like Yami's name!

**Sangokirara5:** O.o Woah… IT'S YOU! I never thought I'd hear from you again… hm… Well, I'm glad you're liking it so far (really!), considering you read the first (and weird) version of this fic. But, dude, a guy named Rio comes and sweeps Kyouri off her feet? O.o Umm, there _will_ be some competition for Sano later, if it makes you feel better! (-grin-).

**Omasuoniwabanshu:** (Ahh, you think I'm funny! (hee!).) Thanks, now that I'm getting more into this story, I do tend to write more than usual. But spring break's coming up, and once I get back from LA (WOOT!... sorry, had to brag a little bit!) I'll definitely be reading your fic!

**K.T.youko: **(woot! Four reviews!). My begging made you sad? Oh, you kind hearted being, you! It's okay, your reviews made up for the other FOOLS that don't! (-biiig grin-) Incredible, you're one of the most mature seventh graders I know (granted, I don't know many, but still!). Not only that, but you almost started crying? Wow T-T. I like your criticisms, especially since I agree. I _really_ don't think I did justice to their reunion, but I was seriously in a rut at that time (-sigh-). But this one perseveres, and I'm actually getting into it again! WOOT! Thank you for reading! (-bows-)

**Haki:** Yah, well, they couldn't stick around for forever, although they do come back later to visit! Yay!

**WhiteRabbit5:** Yay, you're still reviewing! I was beginning to wonder…. (-grin-). Oh, I'm sooo glad you liked that kitchen scene (I was nervous when you said "the kaoru-can't-cook thing has been reaaally overdone), especially since my sister said Kaoru seemed OOC. But, Kaoru never really has a chance to be with regular girls (Megumi doesn't count, she's too mature to say "yay"), except with Misao, in which she is kind of light hearted sooo… Everyone has the skill to draw! Seriously, you can do it! Once you do, send me a picture of Naraku! (-grin!-). Ahh, melodrama… (-nervous-) yeaaah, well, I'll just wait to see what you think… Yay! It does have something to do with the necklace! Score!

WARNING TO ALL READERS:

Kie-san likes the supernatural.

THAT IS ALL! (-bows-)

ANOTHER WARNING TO ALL READERS:

Review or receive the Bird Kick of Rage!

REVIEWWW!


	13. Chapter 8: A Night to Remember

Chapter 8: A Night to Remember

(it just fits, okay? so sue me!)

* * *

"Oi, Kenshin," Sano whispered, hunching down to the rurouni's level, who was currently doing the laundry.

"Oro?" Kenshin said, looking up and arching his eyebrows. "Yes, Sano, what is it?"

"Um… could you…er…" Sano's eyes shifted nervously as he tried to iterate what he was trying to say and Kenshin watched with a bemused look. "I… I need some advice."

"Ummm, okay?" Kenshin replied, curiosity growing in him.

"Er… it's about Kyouri…"

Kenshin's eyebrows disappeared under the messy fringe of bangs, his eyelids lowering halfway, "Sano, you're asking this one for advice about women?"

"Yeah," Sano replied, giving Kenshin a "no duh" look. "Who else am I supposed to ask? The monkey?"

"How about asking an actual woman?" a feminine voice cut in, making the two guys jump. Sano and Kenshin both looked up to see none other than Megumi looking at them, Kaoru standing besides her with a curious expression.

"Who invited you, kitsune?" Sano frowned.

"Oh, I just thought I'd visit Ken-san since work's been kind of slow," Megumi laughed behind her hand. "I didn't expect to find _you_ having woman trouble, though. I was surprised enough when Kaoru told me that you seemed interested in a girl that is staying at the dojo."

"She did, did she?" Sano growled as Kaoru ignored him defiantly.

"Yes," Megumi said matter-of-factly, "Now, what exactly do you need to know?"

"Nothing that concerns you, this is something that should be discussed between men." Kenshin went bug-eyed and gave a small "oro," feeling that he was the last person to come to for advice on women.

"That's the problem most men have," Megumi sighed condescendingly, "They don't ask a woman what to do and end up making matters worse."

"No. Way," Sanosuke said with finality, standing up and crossing his arms. "There is no way I'm coming to _you_ for advice."

* * *

"H-how did you find me?" she stuttered, still wide eyed after she had jumped back in shock, away from him.

He smirked widely, happy to get such a fearful response from the girl, "Honestly, Kyouri, there wasn't a moment in the past ten years when I didn't know _exactly_ where you were."

"Wh-what?" she faltered, then frowned, "Liar, then why didn't you come forward earlier?"

He grinned again, exposing two fangs as he did, "You chose your companions carefully, I was impressed." Blood red eyes narrowed as if pinning down a prey. "The Wolf Tribe and Fox Clan are better as allies, I wouldn't do anything to _anger_ them."

"Bastard…" she growled, clenching her fists with anger even though she was visibly shaking from fear.

"Yes," he smirked. "But that was all right, I knew that, with a person like you, all I had to do was wait."

" 'A person like me'?" she said with a scornful expression.

"It doesn't take long for someone like you to become _vulnerable_, even if you don't realize it."

"Vulnerable?" she scoffed. "I don't think so. With my friends backing me up there is no way I'm letting you control my life."

A low, menacing sound escaped his lips as he laughed, "You foolish half-breed, just what are you getting at?" He advanced towards her, his tall dark frame towering over her as a dark, mirthful expression played on his face. "Friends? What friends?" He frowned. "Have you even told them what you are?" She paled as the red-blood eyes bore into her own. "A worthless creature shunned by all. One who doesn't belong in the human or demon world. Something viewed as a dangerous _monster_ by humans and a pathetic _weakling_ by demons."

"They're not like that," she countered, although her voice wavered.

"How can you be sure?" The edges of his lips curled upwards. "You're not sure. If you were, you would have already revealed your secret to them. You would already have taken off that damn necklace."

"I am going to tell them," she replied, breaking eye contact and looking towards the river as her nails dug into the palms of her hands. "I _will_ tell them."

He drew close to her and tilted her face up gently back towards him so she couldn't look away, his face so near he only had to whisper what he was saying, "What do you expect from them, Kyouri? Acceptance? Love? Even when your mother, your own flesh and blood, refused to give them to you and abandoned you?" She was shaking all over as images of her mother walking out of that gate, without even looking back at her daughter, flashed in her mind. "A child like you, a friend like you, a lover like you, is something no one can accept."

"_No_!" she said forcefully, though she slumped down to the ground as her knees buckled under her. She covered her ears attempting to block out his caustic words as her wide eyes stared at the blades of grass. "I don't believe you…They wouldn't… he wouldn't… I know it… they're not like her…"

Expressionlessly he knelt down, pulling her hands down almost tenderly so she could hear him clearly. "_Then why do you still wear that necklace?_" She shivered at his touch, avoiding looking into the crimson of his eyes as he smirked. "Deep in you, even though you may say these things, you still doubt them, you still doubt the _human_ that is in them. That's why you put on this charade." He frowned. "What were you thinking, Kyouri? Did you think you could carry on this façade? This act of being a normal human? True, you are happy now, but how long would it last? One year? Two years? You wouldn't be able to hide forever. Eventually, it would all crumble under you, and all you would be left with is ruins."

"I'll tell him," she replied quietly. "I'll tell all of them. It won't be a secret anymore." She thought of Sanosuke, how close he had been earlier that morning, and as she did she looked into her uncle's eyes, a new determination flashing in them. "After that, you _will_ leave me alone." He didn't answer, but frowned, as if disappointed that he couldn't convince her.

"Kyouri," he sighed heavily. "Allow me to tell you a secret." He edged in closely, tucking her hair behind her ear, his cheek rubbing against hers as he spoke into her ear in such a way that it made her skin crawl. "_No one of importance will care if a few humans go missing._"

Ice cold words of venom burned through her, searing away any remaining hope that had been left within her. She suddenly felt vulnerable, naked, and defenseless as she shivered.

"No… you wouldn't…" she gasped as she felt hot tears begin to form in her eyes.

"Five minutes is all it would take to slaughter your _friends_."

"No... no, no, no…" she sobbed, shaking her head in denial as the tears streamed down her face and the ball in her throat choked her.

"Would they still accept you, if they found that you put their very lives in jeopardy?" She couldn't answer; she was having a hard enough time trying to breathe. She felt nauseous, as if everything but the demon in front of her was swirling around at a sickening pace. "Even if they did, would you be able to protect them?" The same manic smile that haunted her dreams stretched across his face. "Even my own brother couldn't protect his family, what makes you think a hanyou like you could?"

"I just wanted…" she whimpered sadly as she slumped down so her forehead was on the ground. "I just wanted to be happy…"

"Enjoy them, Kyouri," he grinned evilly. "Enjoy the last few moments of happiness before you return to me, to the world in which you truly belong. Come back here by tomorrow morning, or all your friends will be slaughtered by noon."

He stood up and left, walking casually away from the bank as if he had not just shattered someone lives right from under them, leaving them sitting helpless on the cold ground, hugging themselves as burning tears poured down their face.

_I just wanted to be happy… with Sanosuke…_

_

* * *

_

Megumi sighed heavily, shaking her head in such a way that Sano couldn't help feeling a bubble of frustration inflate within him, "You… are _so_ tactless."

"What?" he grumbled.

"Without even declaring anything to her, you move in and try to kiss her, surprising her and probably scaring her," she sighed. "No wonder she ran off." Sanosuke seethed dangerously as Megumi cast him an exasperated look. "Hey, they're your blunders, I'm just pointing them out."

"Fine," he growled. "But you haven't told me what I'm supposed to do to _fix_ them."

"Well, you could start by taking her out to dinner, at least."

"Dinner?"

"Yes, baka, it's what people do: eat together."

"I know what having dinner is!" Sano snapped, a vein popping on his forehead.

"Good." Then Megumi smiled reassuringly, "Don't worry, if she has been able to put up with you for this long, then there's no reason she wouldn't be willing to give you another chance."

"And she _did_ stay here instead of leaving with her friends," Kaoru pointed out. "I don't think you should worry so much, Sanosuke."

"You have a point, Kaoru-dono," Kenshin nodded agreeably.

Sanosuke gave them annoyed looks, "And just what are _you_ two doing here, anyway? Getting 'advice' too?" Kaoru and Kenshin didn't answer, but just smiled innocently.

Sano sighed, slumping down. "So, all I have to do is take her to dinner…" he mused. "Is that really it?"

"Well, you have to remember to act accordingly when you do," Megumi replied, crossing her arms. "For instance, no mooching on the lady you're supposed to be treating. And _don't_ take her to a pub or something, that would just be stupid."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it, kitsune," Sano said grudgingly.

"Get what?" a voice behind him said happily, making Sano jump with surprise.

"Oi, Kyouri, don't scare me like that!" he snapped, glaring at her from the ground since he had fallen off the walkway.

Kyouri laughed, getting down on her haunches, looking down at him, "Sorry, Sano, didn't mean to."

"Er, it's okay," Sano muttered, standing up and dusting himself off.

"Ah, Sano, I was hoping to talk to you about something," she said brightly standing up as well, making Sanosuke look at her curiously. As she rocked on the balls of her heels nervously she said, "I realized as I was walking home that I've been in Tokyo for nearly three weeks, but I've never even been to the entertainment district. I was hoping you could show me around tonight." Sano stopped dusting himself off as a suspended silence submerged the group.

"Really?" Sano asked in disbelief, arching his eyebrows. Kyouri's face reddened slightly.

"Well, yeah, if you're not too busy or anything…"

Sanosuke grinned broadly, "Okay, it's not like I've got anything better to do tonight anyway." Megumi slapped her forehead exasperatedly as a sweatdrop slid down Kyouri's cheek.

"Gee, thanks," Kyouri said sarcastically.

Megumi gave a heavy sigh as she cast half lidded gaze on Sanosuke, "And to think I spent all that time talking to the bird-head for nothing…"

"Um, excuse me?" Kyouri said, having just noticed the doctor.

"Oh, hello, Kyouri-san," Megumi smiled, getting up and bowing, "I'm Takani Megumi, a friend of Ken-san's. We haven't met, but I've heard quite a bit about you."

"Oh, hello," Kyouri replied, bowing as well, "Nice to meet you."

Megumi laughed behind her hand, fox ears appearing on her head, "Oho ho, maybe you could knock some manners into that bird-head, too!" Sanosuke grumbled darkly as Kyouri grinned at Megumi. "Anyways, how about we get you dressed after lunch?"

"Huh?" Kyouri said.

"Well, we'll have to get you in a proper kimono," Megumi smiled coyly. "I think a blue one would suit you nicely, don't you think so, Kaoru?"

"Eh?" Kaoru said, looking up from where she was sitting, "Yes, I agree! Don't worry, Kyouri-chan, you can borrow one of mine!"

"Um, okay," Kyouri smiled nervously.

"Kaoru, do you have any men's clothes in the dojo?"

"Uh, yeah, there are some of my father's old clothes in the shack," Kaoru replied, knitting her eyebrows. "Why do you ask?"

"You should let Sanosuke borrow some."

"What!" Sano protested. "Why do I have to change?"

"Because if you go to the entertainment district dressed up like you are now, you and Kyouri-san will be mistaken for a yakuza and his prostitute."

"Hey!" both Kyouri and Sanosuke exclaimed.

"Kenshin and Yahiko can help you dress," Megumi shrugged, ignoring the cries of protest. "We'll get started after lunch, all right? All right!" Megumi laughed behind her hand again as Sano and Kyouri stood feeling harassed.

"Women…" Sano muttered, as he glanced at Kyouri. "You really wanna dress up?"

"Sure," Kyouri said cheerfully, scratching the back of her head awkwardly. "Though it's been more than ten years since I wore a kimono…"

Sano grinned, then stopped as he noticed something, "Hey, your eyes are red. Have you been crying?"

"What?" Kyouri said, surprised. "Oh, n-no, I just had a bout of sneezes when I was walking home." She shrugged cheerfully. "I guess some pollen must've gotten to me or something."

"Um, right," Sano shrugged, thinking of the old saying that a person sneezed when someone talked about them behind their back.

"Come on, I didn't come all this way for nothing!" Megumi called to them. "It's good manners to feed a guest when they come to visit."

"Even when they're uninvited?" Kaoru growled as Megumi laughed coyly, leading the way to the sitting room.

* * *

"So, you finally got things going with Kyouri?" Yahiko said as he looked through the boxes of old clothes. He looked up just long enough to give Sanosuke an exasperated look. "It's about time!"

"This one agrees," Kenshin grinned.

"Neither of you has room to talk," Sano frowned.

"Oro?"

"NOTHING IS GOING ON BETWEEN TSUBAME-CHAN AND ME!"

"See what I mean?" Sano grunted.

Yahiko snorted angrily, throwing a bundle of clothes at Sanosuke's head, "Here put this stuff on."

Sano pulled the clothes off his hair and examined them, "This is so stupid. Who cares what I look like?"

"Just put it on," Yahiko mumbled, "Or else Kaoru _and_ Megumi'll get on my case." Sano grudgingly pulled off his jacket, getting dressed.

* * *

"Come _on_," Yahiko groaned. "How long does it get for one person to get dressed!" The door slid open, but instead of Kyouri, Kaoru emerged, looking peeved. She said nothing, but just knuckled Yahiko on the head, then disappeared behind the door once again. Yahiko mumbled and grumbled darkly, rubbing his head as he sat down next to Kenshin who was next to Sanosuke. Sano kept shifting uncomfortably in his seat, obviously beginning to feel nervous in his new clothes as the reality of a date with Kyouri sunk in.

Minutes ticked by in silence.

"Who the hell can put up with these damn sleeves!" Sano exclaimed suddenly, looking down at his dark blue gi with an accusing glare.

"Sano… shut up…" Yahiko muttered tiredly. Sano seethed, then kicked Kenshin so he would ram into Yahiko and knock him into the post.

"ORO!"

"Dammit, rooster head, you wanna fight?" Yahiko yelled, pushing a swirly eyed Kenshin off him and getting up.

"Bring it on, idiot midget!" Sano grinned, eager to relieve some stress. But before they could start, a shoe flew out of nowhere and hit Sanosuke square on the head. "What the hell!" He glared at Kenshin, but Kenshin shook his head quickly and pointed at Kaoru, who was standing at the doorway.

"You're gonna get your clothes dirty," she said disapprovingly.

"Who cares! All I'm gonna do is show Kyouri around anyway! NO BIG DEAL, DAMMIT!" Everyone's eyes widened as Sanosuke huffed angrily, obviously having reached his limit on nervousness.

"Sano? Are you okay?" said Kyouri as she stepped out and walked towards the group. Sano's anger was forgotten as she stood looking at him with a bemused expression. She was now wearing a dark river-blue kimono, delicately decorated with light green grasses and small gold fireflies, held together by a light yellow obi that was tied in a complicated bow. The color made her vivid green eyes stand out even more, especially since most of her bangs had been pushed back in an elaborate bun, which also exposed a gently curving neck.

Okay, so maybe he could see why it took so long for her to get dressed.

"Well?" Megumi demanded, emerging from the room as well. "Are you gonna do something or just stand there with your mouth wide open?"

"Huh?" Sano snapped his mouth closed as Kyouri smiled at him. "Yeah, you, er, you look good." Kyouri chuckled at his loss of words (making Sano's face burn), happy to get such a reaction from him even though she could practically feel Megumi rolling her eyes behind her.

"You look good, too," she smiled, noting how different he looked in the dark blue gi with a white collar and white hakama pants. She walked to the steps and slipped on some black lacquered geta (sandals, like the one Kaoru wears when she's not training) she had borrowed from Kaoru, then stood up. "Let's get going before it gets too late." She walked up to him and gave him an expectant look.

"Offer her your arm, baka!" hissed Megumi. Sano cast her a dirty look, but held his arm out stiffly for Kyouri. She grinned and slipped her own through his.

"Thank you guys," Kyouri smiled at the people watching both of them, her eyes strangely soft. "We'll be back later."

"Take your time," Megumi laughed.

"Have fun, Kyouri-chan!" Kaoru called.

"Don't forget to pay for everything, Sano!" Kenshin grinned happily.

"And don't be an idiot!" Yahiko smirked.

"I _get_ it, okay?" Sano fumed. "Come on, Kyouri, let's hurry up and go."

"Bye!" Kyouri called as Sano led her out the gate.

"They really are a cute couple," Megumi sighed once they were gone.

"It'd be nice to dress up and go out every now and then," Kaoru smiled dreamily as Kenshin mentally took note.

* * *

"Oohhh, that was _fun_!" Kyouri squealed happily, her face red as she stumbled forward.

"Kyouri, you are _so_ drunk!" Sano laughed, even though his face was also a deep red.

"Are not!" Kyouri retorted. "It's just that everything keeps moving around…"

"That's called 'being drunk,'" Sano grinned. "You don't hold alcohol too well, do you?"

Kyouri giggled, "I don't get the chance to practice too much… whoa…" She stumbled and leaned on Sano's arm, making his already red face burn. Kyouri didn't notice however, as she sighed contentedly and her eyelids drooped, "This really was a fun evening… but I'm so tired right now…" She yawned widely, shifting more weight onto Sanosuke.

Sano laughed, "We're close to my neighborhood, you can sleep off the alcohol at my place for a while then head back to the dojo." Kyouri stopped, then gave Sano a suspicious look, to which Sano frowned back. "What? Geez, get your mind out of the gutter, I'm not that kind of guy."

Kyouri giggled again, then took a deep, sobering breath as rested her cheek on his arm, "Yeah, I know…"

A little while later they both staggered into Sano's small living space, laughing happily at nothing in particular as they both leaned on each other. Kyouri slipped off her shoes and sat down on the ground, stretching and yawning.

"Man," she groaned. "I can't see how someone can wear a kimono for too long before going crazy."

"I know what you mean," Sano grinned as he set out his futon, "I really hate wearing this gi, the stupid sleeves are too big and annoying. They get in the way of everything."

Kyouri watched as he spread out the blanket, then plopped down the pillow at the head of the futon before plunking down with his back to the wall.

"There ya go," he grinned, rubbing his eyes rather groggily. "You can sleep there for a while."

"What about you?" Kyouri asked.

"I'll sleep here, it's not the first time, so it's okay." She smiled thankfully at him as she stood up and walked over to the futon, undoing the bun in her hair so it came spilling down in brown waves around her. She looked at Sano, who was watching her with a content and relaxed expression on his sleepy face.

"Sano? You can sleep on the futon too," she smiled, then added more sternly, "Just no funny business."

"Yes ma'am," Sano grinned, sliding over just as she lay down on her side, facing the wall. She heard him stretch loudly as he settled down.

"Sano?"

"Mm-yeah?"

"Thanks," she smiled broadly to herself. "I had a great time."

"Yeah, me too. We should do this again some time."

"…yeah…" she said softly, feeling herself sobering up.

"Kyouri?"

"Hm?"

"Can I, er, put my arm around you?"

She gave a small laugh, "All right." She felt as he gently put his arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him. She could feel his breath on the back of her neck and the warmth of his body on her back. She breathed in deeply, taking in his scent and committing it to memory. He seemed to be doing the same thing as she heard him taking in a deep breath.

"Your hair…" he said in a muffled voice, "It smells just like it did ten years ago…"

"Eh?" Kyouri grinned, turning her head slightly to his direction and pushing herself closer to him. She had never felt so comfortable before... "How can you remember something like that?"

"'Cause… it smells like summer…"

She struggled to keep her voice from wavering, "Sano… how do you know what summer smells like?"

"Easy, it smells like your hair." She laughed at his response, making him grin broadly as he shut his eyes and sighed, beginning to drift into a heavy sleep.

Kyouri could say that she was proud of herself, because even as she had joked with him and she could feel him running his fingers through her hair gently, the tears running down her face didn't impair her speech or give away any indication that she was crying.

She knew that, in a few hours, Sano would wake up.

He would find that she was gone, and he would probably be furious.

She would be far away from him, and she would probably never be able to see him again.

But, just for now, as she listened to the quiet sounds of his sleep and felt the warmth of his body and arm that was draped across her waist, she wanted to pretend…

She had been doing it for ten years; a few more hours wouldn't hurt.

* * *

Note: _Please_ tell me you all get what her uncle is! PLEASE! (-shakes weirded out reviewers-). And I hope you all know "hanyou" means "half demon." If you didn't, you do now!

…Is anyone mad that I put demons into the Ruroken era? (-twiddles fingers-) I think it's plausible…

Umm, what else is there to say? I just hope you guys liked the chapter. Was it too cheesy?

Oh! Now I remember something! If anyone's seen the cover for Yahiko no Sakabatou or seen Samurai X: Reflection, you'll note the cool gi and hakama Yahiko was wearing (there was a little "aku" character on the back, too!). That's kind of how I imagined Sano was dressed for their date (tho' I guess he wouldn't have time to put the little "aku"). Also, I'm not really sure how Sano would respond to that kind of nervousness, so I made him kind of explosive. He was snappy when Megumi first came around (in the manga, anyway), so I guess that's how I imagine him…

Oooh, oooh! (-bounces up and down-) Another thing! I went to Los Angeles for spring break (got back on thu) and I went to Little Tokyo and had soba noodles! Whee hee! (-sooo easily amused-). I also got the cutest wittle Sano pin, along with a bokken that cost 9 bucks and now looks _really_ authentic since I took off the "made in Taiwan" sticker! (China town and the BodyWorlds exhibit at the Science Center was also really cool…)

**Reviewer Responses:**

**Fairy Mage:** Yep, I did use the English versions 'cause I actually bought those, but I read the scanlated Kyoto and Jinchuu ark from directmanga. I think I like the more literal translations… The necklace is very pretty, and shiny too! (-grins-). (-punches air-) Bird kick of rage! WOOT! (-grins-) I like your reviews! They're so funny! _And_ you've read the manga! (-pats fairy mage on the head-).

**Omasuoniwabanshu:** XD. Well, the suspense about her secret should be gone now. I hope I didn't lay it on a too thick…

**WhiteRabbit5:** I'm glad you liked the way I made the manga scenes, though honestly I didn't write them all the way out because I'd get waaay too bored. Yeah, I guess the emotional debate with Kyouri may have been a little long, but I _love_ those scenes, so I tend to get carried away (-sweatdrop-). lol I had forgotten about that! I guess that just makes their pact a little more important or something. Heh heh, things always tend to work that way in fanfictions/anime/manga: lots of ironic coincidences. I hate the animation used in the anime, Sano's hair is all poofy or something, it looks stupid (-grumble mumble-). Sorry, I haven't been updating very well at all, inspiration comes at random times, tho' when it does it hits like a bag of bricks! Have you made that summary yet? I've been getting all these "author alerts" in my e-mail and I've been _dying_ to see what happens to Naruku… (-threatens Usashi-kun with new bokken-). Heh heh, "I'm still young"? What does that mean? Only old farts can draw manga well? lol I've been trying to draw too, and I've gotten to the point where I don't flinch every time I look over my pictures. I was looking for a manga pen set in Little Tokyo, but I couldn't find one…(-depression-). Well, keep at it! Everyone gets better the more they draw. (are you making a manga of your fic? (-biiig eager grin-)). I think the necklace thing gets a little more explained in this chapter, but there's still a lot more to it that I'm saving for later. (long response to a long review, ne? I love it!).

**Sangokirara5:** Nope, I didn't (though that makes more sense now). Sorry! I've got yahoo, not aol. I'm glad you're still reading!

**Shadic the Hedgehog Author:** Any relation to Sonic? (I loved that comic when I was little!). ANYway (-walks out of memory lane-), I'm glad you like it! I honestly don't think Sano and Megumi make a good couple (they're both too stubborn, they'd end up fighting all the time!). But I guess I'm a little biased, ne? Hmm, that's really weird, I think you should talk to the directmanga staff, tho'. It _does_ exist, though, since I've downloaded, like, five series from there and haven't had that many problems. Errors do happen a sometimes, tho', so it's a real pain to get anything, but it's as good as it gets! So, um, yah, thanks a lot for reading! (kie-san-dono? Kind of long, ne?).

Such awesome reviews I keep getting, thanks so much, guys! Wow, I'm almost to fifty! (whee!).

SO DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE ANOTHER ONE, DAMMIT!

(…O.o sometimes I scare even myself…)


	14. Chapter 9: Baka Neko

Chapter 9: Baka Neko

Sano staggered down the empty street, letting his feet automatically guide him home. The heavy summer night air made the musty stench of alcohol stick heavily to him, so that it was all he could smell. He finally reached his small apartment in the longhouse, sliding the door open and unceremoniously kicking off his shoes. He peeled off his jacket, tossing it to the ground as he slumped down on his bed, which he had neglected to put away for a long time now.

He breathed in deeply, still able, even in his drunken stupor, to catch hints of Kyouri in his futon. The smell was almost gone, but it seemed the pain of her leaving wasn't.

He turned on his back, putting his hands behind his head as he again mulled over the piece of paper that had been plaguing him for almost a week now.

_'Sanosuke,_

_'I bet you're wondering why I'm not there, asleep next to you.'_

No shit he was. Even now, he wondered what sky she was sleeping under.

'Before you get angry, I wanted you to know that I really did enjoy our night together immensely. It was probably the best time I've ever had.'

Sano grinned, closing his eyes and willing the memory of her standing in the late afternoon sun in the beautiful kimono to come back to him. He recalled the soft texture of her hair that had been splayed over this same futon and the subtle smell of summer she had brought into his home.

'In fact, these past few weeks have been incredible. I had forgotten what it was like to have a job to wake up to each morning and a home to come back to each evening.

_'But I realized that it was something I could never get used to.'_

It was a good job and a happy home, why couldn't she get used to it?

'I received a letter from Yamainu and Sachi and Shousei. Things didn't go well with their families, and they decided to leave their homes. They asked if I wanted to go with them.'

Bullshit, Kyouri. Yamainu was the epitome of a "big brother," and he would never risk uprooting your happiness for the sake of his.

'We decided that Japan was too small for us, so by the time you read this I'll be on a boat to Shanghai.'

What was going on? Why did you have to leave so suddenly?

'I doubt we'll ever see each other again.'

Last time, you promised that we'd meet again.

'But please remember me fondly, as a close friend.'

I wanted something more…

_'-Kyouri'_

Sanosuke sat up, resting his elbows on his knees as stormy expression played over his face.

"I don't understand," he muttered, putting his head in his hands as he glared at nothing.

How long had she been so miserable? All the times she had laughed, smiled, or joked around, had they all been faked? Every time he had noticed her doing chores cheerfully, a thoughtful expression on her face, had she been thinking of ways to leave?

Maybe she was forced?

"I don't care how I live as long as I do it away from him."

Had it been him? The uncle she had feared for as long as he knew her?

…But wouldn't she have at least said something? She could've told him why she needed to keep moving: because that bastard was closing in on her.

He could've gone with her.

"Without even declaring anything to her, you move in and try to kiss her, surprising her and probably scaring her," she sighed. "No wonder she ran off."

A feeling of dread sank into Sanosuke's stomach.

Maybe it had been him?

Maybe all she wanted was to be "close friends." Maybe having a romantic relationship was something that she avoided.

At all costs.

It was obvious now.

The way she avoided everyone at the camp…how, even when she spent ten years with him, she only considered Yamainu an "older brother"…how she had left with a blunt note telling him she'd never see him again.

"At least tell me next time, okay? At least give me a chance, to try to go too… We're Sekihoutai, let's stick together…"

_Hypocritical wench_, he thought bitterly.

It had all been a lie.

He lay down; his bitter mood revived as he wished he had drunk more alcohol.

_Wherever you are, I hope you're happy._

_

* * *

_

"Pfft, is that really it?" she sneered, looking down at Kyouri, who was breathing heavily, clutching her chest where she had been struck.

"One week of training with Say and that's really the best you can do?"

Kyouri looked up at her through her bangs, an expression of pure fury on her face.

She launched herself at Rei again, lunging forward with a punch. Rei, however, just smirked and dodged the hanyou's cumbersome movements. As she dodged to the left, she grabbed Kyouri's outstretched arm, savoring the girl's look of shock and pain as she twisted it back, then pinned the girl by digging her heel into her back.

"Tut, tut, little hanyou, such a temper." She smirked at her two sisters who were watching her with amusement. Still grinning at her sisters, she sent a wave of electricity from her own body through Kyouri's arm, grinning even more broadly at the shriek of pain that finally erupted from the girl.

She let go of Kyouri's arm, watching as she slumped down, breathless and wide eyed, clutching her scorched arm in pain. Rei reached down and grabbed a fistful of Kyouri's brown hair, making the girl wince painfully, pulling her head up so she was at eye level.

"Maybe now you'll understand just who to _respect_," Rei spat angrily at Kyouri. Kyouri, however, just gave her another angry look that was misted over with pain, kindling Rei's anger further. "Dammit, hanyou, you forget your place!" Rei slammed the girl to the ground, hatred coursing heavily through her veins.

"All right, Rei, that's enough," a voice said, stopping what looked like would become another onslaught of lightning. Rei looked up to see her older sister looking at her with disdain.

"What's the matter, Say?" Rei spat, cracking her fingers threateningly as energy sparked through them, "Feeling sorry for the hanyou?"

"No," Say responded lazily, "But I'll be feeling sorry for you when you kill her and father punishes you." Her expression sharpened. "He waited ten years for this girl—what makes you think he values your life over hers?" Rei felt another surge of anger swell through her as the ball of lightning her hand crackled even more loudly.

"_She's just a half-breed_," she hissed through clenched teeth.

"And we're all just tools," Say responded. "We're in no different position than she is." Rei glared at Say, attempting to spark a challenge, but Say just shrugged it off and grinned lazily.

"Pfft, whatever," Rei snorted. "Aisu, Uneri, let's go. We've got training to do." With a final glare at the young girl sprawled on the ground and at her older sister, Rei turned and stalked out of the practice hall, her two younger sisters following closely as they cast nervous glances at Say.

Say sighed heavily as she watched Kyouri struggle to sit up, still clutching her arm and fighting for breath.

"This would be a lot less painful if you'd just take off that necklace," Say pointed out. Kyouri didn't answer, just shook her head. "Why not? All it does is suppress your demonic aura, right? If you took it off, you'd release your demonic powers and it'd probably heal in the next few hours." Then she added under her breath, "Of course it'd take a lot less time if you were a pure-blood…"

"I don't want to…" Kyouri muttered, looking away from the tall neko-youkai standing above her.

"Don't want to heal?" Say asked, arching an eyebrow.

"I don't want to forget what it's like…" Kyouri said, "… to be human."

Say gave a snort. "You weren't human to begin with."

Kyouri looked at her arm, still singed and claw-less, "This is who I've been for the past ten years. I can't give that up so easily."

Say furrowed her eyebrows, "Who you've 'been' for the past ten years has been a lie."

"Maybe… but that's who he believed I was…"

Say gave an exasperated snort, rolling her eyes as she sat down on her haunches so she was at eye-level with Kyouri. "Pathetic. I should've let Rei kill you."

Kyouri gave a half-hearted smile. "Maybe that would've been best."

"Oh brother," Say moaned. She stood up, gazing down at Kyouri. "Listen, I may have eternity, but I'm not willing to wait that long. Hurry and get up so I can find some bandages for you and get on with my training. There's gotta be some in this place somewhere…" She looked around and began to stride towards the door, then looked back at Kyouri, still slumped on the floor. "Come on, hanyou-chan!" Kyouri smiled inwardly and heaved herself up, ignoring the complaints from her singed body as she staggered towards the older demon.

* * *

Say plopped down heavily on the small bit of roof protruding over her window, sighing as she reached into her sash. She pulled out a small hand carved nay (flute), looking down at it fondly before bringing it to her lips and releasing a soft, wistful melody. The haunting song hovered around her and floated down to the dark grounds, mingling with the sounds of the night as she let it carry her back home. After a while the song ended, and she let the final note linger softly before she lay the flute down. She gave a half-smile before tucking the flute back into her sash.

She leaned back, crossing her arms behind her head and resting on them, letting the memories her favorite lullaby brought dance in her mind. But after a while, she mentally clicked off the distant memories as she realized they had all run out.

Memories of her life with her mother were scarce and few, but happy.

She closed her eyes, letting the lullaby and memories replay in her mind.

As she did, she thought of the Kyouri she had known ten years ago: a small and scared child that pined for her mother and was constantly picked on by her older and bigger full-blood cousins. Rei had often mocked Kyouri openly about how her mother abandoned her, casting the poor child into an even deeper depression than she had already been in. It was really no wonder Kyouri had run away; the prospect of spending the rest of her life at the mansion was probably worse than facing an early death.

Still, Kyouri was no special case. They were all in the same position.

Say opened her eyes, thinking of the unhappy reunion that had occurred a week ago.

_Flashback-_

"Well, well, well." Rei smirked as Kyouri walked up to the group of neko-youkai. "Look at what the cat dragged in, as they say." Aisu and Uneri both sniggered at their Onee-san's joke.

"Ohayo, Rei," said Kyouri impassively, "You haven't changed much, obviously."

"Oh, you'd be surprised, hanyou-chan," replied Rei cockily, shouldering her training pole threateningly. "But look at you! All grown up into a little woman."

"While you're as immature as ever," Kyouri replied, rolling her eyes.

"Don't be rude," Rei said, her voice taking on a sharp edge. "I was being nice, welcoming you back into our loving company. There's no need to be so snippy."

Kyouri gave the girl a disgusted look. "I'd rather be in the depths of hell than here, being 'welcomed back into your loving company.'"

"I'm telling you, hanyou," growled Rei, "_Don't_ be rude."

"Go find a hairball to choke on," Kyouri spat back. Rei bristled, tightening the grip on her staff and tensing as she prepared to strike.

"Calm down, baka neko," a voice said lazily, stopping the young demoness from striking. "Five minutes and you're already pouncing at each other." Say was looking down at the two girls with a look of exasperation from the roof. She jumped down, landing noiselessly on the ground in front of the two girls.

"Ohayo, Say-kun," Kyouri said, a smile flashing across her features.

"Ohayo, Kyouri-chan," Say grinned. "Glad to be back?"

"Hardly," Rei spat, shooting a glare at Kyouri, "Give her a week and she'll be planning an escape again." She gave Kyouri a nasty grin. "Though it'll be no use. I told you it's impossible to run away from here."

"And yet I managed to take a ten year vacation," Kyouri replied sarcastically. Rei growled threateningly again, but Kyouri just gave her an innocent smirk.

"Don't toy with me, hanyou," Rei hissed through clenched teeth, "Unless you really do wish to visit the depths of hell." Kyouri didn't answer, but gave a stubborn look that only fueled Rei's anger.

"Such a fierce aura," another voice cut in. "Please be careful, Rei-san, or you'll end up killing Father's prize." Rei froze, as if her heart had stopped, and quickly turned to the speaker, bowing.

"Gomennasai, Onee-sama," she said politely, all the anger in her voice minutes ago gone. "I would never do anything to anger Father."

"Yes, I know," the speaker said. Kyouri looked to her left to see a young woman gazing at her with a stoic expression, dressed in an elaborate old-fashioned kimono that trailed behind her on the pathway. Just as she took in the dark red eyes, however, she felt a hand behind her neck push her down into a bow.

"Forgive this hanyou, Onee-sama," Say was saying as she kept Kyouri in the forced bow. "She does not know how to act properly." Kyouri couldn't see the demoness' reaction, but guessed it had been favorable since Say's grip on the back of her neck relaxed slightly.

"I was just hoping to see this hanyou Father had been hunting for such a long time," the young woman responded. "Though I have to say, I was hoping to be more impressed." Kyouri felt a twinge of anger at the haughty demoness. "Though she does have a rather large spirit, doesn't she?"

"Hai, Onee-sama," responded Say, almost automatically.

"Say-san, I'm putting her in your care. Try to make her at least a little less pathetic than she is now."

"Hai, Onee-sama." With that Kyouri heard the soft rustle of silk as the demoness walked away, but it was only after the sound of a door closing was heard that Say finally let go of Kyouri.

"Next time try to keep your manners in mind," Say sighed exasperatedly.

"Who was that?" Kyouri asked, ignoring Say's chiding.

"That was Ichijou-sama, Father's daughter," Say answered.

"Huh? But I thought you were all his daughters."

"Geez, you really are an idiot, aren't you?" Rei cut in, giving Kyouri a look of superiority. "I mean, I knew you were stupid, but I didn't think you were _that_ retarded."

"Shut up, hairball," Kyouri hissed angrily.

"We are all illegitimate daughters of Father," Say answered, before Rei and Kyouri could get into another argument, "Born from his harem, mostly made up of foreign demonesses that were gained from compromises with demons from abroad that fear his power. She is the one true offspring he bred from his late wife, who passed away several decades ago."

"Decades ago?" Kyouri echoed. "Then she's…"

"I believe in human years she is a bit more than half a century old."

Kyouri nodded in realization, not at all surprised. Demons had different life spans than humans and, as she understood it, lived for almost an eternity. All the demonesses that were standing around her now were at least twenty-five years old, even if they seemed to only be teenagers. Sachi and Shousei themselves had refused to tell Kyouri their age in human years, saying they didn't want to be treated like "baa-chan's" by Yami and herself, who both had mortal life spans since they were hanyou's. Then Kyouri arched an eyebrow, "Wait, then why didn't I see her last time I was here?"

"She was abroad, probably on a business trip for Father, though I'm not sure exactly where. She spends about as much time away as Father does."

"Oh," Kyouri said.

"Anyway, let's stop wasting time," Say grinned. "She left you in my care, and I swear by my ancestor's graves that I will knock some power into that scrawny little body of yours." Kyouri rolled her eyes.

"Ugh, good luck with that," Rei snorted. "I'll be over here, not wasting my time and training with _real_ demons. You guys just stay out of our way."

Say hit Rei on the head with the staff she was holding, "Don't disrespect me like that, Rei-chan." Rei snorted angrily, but muttered an apology before ambling off with her sisters in tow.

"Come on," Say said, grinning evilly. "Let's get started, Kyouri-chan…"

End Flashback-

Well, Kyouri was improving, Say had to admit, although she'd improve much faster if she'd just release her demonic powers instead of locking them in that damned necklace. How often would she have to get her face slammed into the dirt by Rei before she realized that a human body was not suitable in a demon's lair?

Oh well, if she couldn't learn by Rei, then Say would just have to personally knock some sense into her. She grinned a conniving smile, already planning the next day's practice session.

* * *

Kyouri slumped down on her western-style bed, letting her face sink into the pillow. After a few moments of lying there motionless, her body throbbing after a day of exhausting drills and sparring with Say, she turned and looked up at the off-white ceiling, made a strange yellow by the glow of the lantern on her bedside. She sighed heavily as she breathed in, missing the familiar texture of her futon at the dojo and being able to hear the night through the thin shouji screens.

This mansion was a strange place, unnervingly tidy all the time from servants that she never saw. The large western-style house, complete with chandeliers, sitting rooms, and large dining tables (all of which lay spotless yet unused since company was nonexistent), was teeming with the large and ominous presence of one of the most powerful demons in Japan, suffocating any emotions—except, perhaps, fear.

Kyouri had yet to find out what all this training was needed for, but it seemed that it was all her cousins did around here. She didn't really mind, and found that she liked the feeling of sore muscles at the end of a long day. Not only that, but she didn't care what she was doing as long as _they_ were all safe.

She smiled gently, thinking of the residents of the dojo.

With her gone, Kenshin was now probably stuck with all the chores. The poor rurouni would be worked to death if he didn't get help from the others. Then again, maybe Kaoru was helping with the cooking, since she had improved a bit after her lessons. Kyouri wondered if Yahiko was still giving her a hard time… probably, since learning kendo and tormenting Kaoru were apparently the two goals of his life. And Sanosuke…

She continued smiling, trying to ignore the tears in her eyes. He was probably furious at her… And she'd never see him again… never get a chance to explain…

She turned on her side, quickly wiping away her tears as she closed her eyes and began to fall asleep.

_Wherever you are, I hope you're happy..._

* * *

Note: How's that for a change in tone:D

Okay, so if you've read my bio you should know I'm a complete Linkin Park freak. Yeah, yeah, I know: _everyone_ likes LP, and it's _so_ over used in AMV's and such, but I really think this song fits! Anyway, if you don't like it, just scroll down and ignore it.

**Linkin Park: Somewhere I belong**

**When this began  
I had nothing to say  
And I'd get lost in the nothingness inside of me  
I was confused  
And I let it all out to find / That I'm  
Not the only person with these things in mind  
Inside of me  
But all the vacancy the words revealed  
Is the only real thing that I've got left to feel  
Nothing to lose  
Just stuck / Hollow and alone  
And the fault is my own  
And the fault is my own**

**I want to heal  
I want to feel  
What I thought was never real  
I want to let go of the pain I've held so long  
(Erase all the pain 'til it's gone  
It's gone)  
I want to heal  
I want to feel  
Like I'm close to something real  
I want to find something I've wanted all along  
Somewhere I belong**

**And I've got nothing to say  
I can't believe I didn't fall right down on my face  
I was confused  
Looking everywhere / Only to find that it's  
Not the way I had imagined it all in my mind  
So what am I  
What do I have but negativity**  
'**Cause I can't justify the  
Way everyone is looking at me  
Nothing to lose  
Nothing to gain / Hollow and alone  
And the fault is my own  
The fault is my own**

**I will never know  
Myself until I do this on my own  
And I will never feel  
Anything else until my wounds are healed  
I will never be  
Anything 'til I break away from me  
And I will break away  
I'll find myself today**

**I want to heal  
I want to feel like I'm  
Somewhere I belong**

Okay, see? I thought it fit really well with what Kyouri has to go through (man, sometimes I wish I could make an AMV of my fic, but that'd be overdoing it -.-'). A good song to describe how Sano's feeling is The Killer's "Smile Like You Mean It." Both bands come with the Kie-san stamp of approval, so check them out if you get the chance! (-grin!-). Anyways, for those of you who thought that was annoying, don't worry, I don't think I'll be putting lyrics up again (I think), but I will probably put up song names that I think go with the chapter.

I hope you people don't get too confused with Say's name, but I chose it for a reason, as ambiguous as it may be…

And I think you guys should get mad at me for being so uncreative with Rei's name (ô.ô').

I got the weirdest review. I guess I could say it was my first flame, but all the guy (assuming it was a guy) did was left an anonymous review (didn't even bother making up a name!) that said "you suck." I think it's kinda funny, heh heh…

**Reviewer Responses:**

**FairyMage:** You live in LA? … Sessha's so jealous… I'd love to live in a big city, but I'm stuck in this stupid little tourist attraction in AZ. It sucks and my sanity is nearly gone, as is shown with this fic :D. But, yah, I loved every part of it, it was the best spring break I've had in a long time! Actually, I liked the rain since it had been snowing so much here, and it rained while we were at the Science Center so I didn't mind :). Thanks for pointing out the lute thing. I knew that…really… --'

**WhiteRabbit5: **I'm glad you liked the chapter! I was nervous about them actually going on a date, but I figured they had been beating around the bush long enough :D. I dunno, Sano's dad is dressed pretty weird, who knows what he was wearing when he was little! The thing I _do_ pride myself on drawing are the funny little manga chibi's that manga-ka draw when they don't want to add detail or something (I love those things! They're so funny!). (-zips her mouth closed-) I'm not saying anything about the necklace yet! You live in LA too? (apparently fairy mage lives there too). I'm so jealous, you have no idea. I'm moving to a big city the first chance I get, I hate living in this stupid little town (-grumbled more-). XD

**K.T. youko:** Gomen, those grammar mistakes slip by me pretty easily. Argh… but I'm working on it (got me self a beta reader:D). I made you cry? OMG, wow! (-hands KT youko a tissue-). (-gloom-) Nooo, I haven't seen _anything_ past the Shishio saga, 'cause that's when Cartoon Network restarted the series. DAMN THEM! (-gives them a futae no kiwami and obliterates CN building-). Yahiko no Sakabatou is a little, er, "adventure" Yahiko-chan has. You can find it here: (just take out the spaces) http / members . fortunecity . com / serizawa / yahsak . html. Gomen, but it's just the script version, I have yet to find scanlations (-sigh!-).

**OmasuOniwabanshu:** Yeaaah, I've thought about what's gonna happen to her uncle a lot, and Kenshin's pesky no killing vow is getting in the way (argh). But sessha will not say anything more! I'm really glad you liked the chapter, "cute" is just the word I was going for!

Okay, it's bed time and I've gotta get up at five tomorrow morning (-dies-). I hope you guys liked the chapter!

LEAVE A REVIEW OR I'LL GET MY LITTLE SISTER TO GO TO YOUR HOUSE AND SHAVE YOUR EYEBROWS IN YOUR SLEEP!

Aku-chan: (-eeeevil grin-)

XD


	15. Chapter 10: Revelations

* * *

Chapter 10: Revelations

* * *

_I hate him._

Her mind screamed those words over and over, a painful continuous rant in her head as she stumbled into her small room, ripping off the suffocating cloak and throwing herself on the Western-style bed. Her fists clutched the thin fabric, ripping it as she stretched it in frustration and pain.

_I hate him._

Her mind was running a horrible movie in her mind, pausing at the most ghastly moments and slowing down all the pain.

_The metallic and stifling stench flooded her senses. She could see the pool of blood seeping slowly towards her as she backed away, her stomach doing backflips and her heart pounding. She managed to throw the screen open and fling herself outside, ripping the cloak away from her mouth as a wave of vomit erupted from her. She stood there, her eyes burning from the pain in her throat and the disgusting taste in her mouth making her more nauseous. She turned to look back at the corpse behind her, as if checking to see if it had really happened, then threw up again, the sight overpowering and weakening her._

The flavor was still in her mouth, along with the bitter iron taste of blood, as if she had actually tasted it.

She curled herself into a ball, the lump in her throat suffocating her as she trembled.

She had never felt so helpless.

Earlier that day Say had come up to her, a solemn expression on her face as she explained exactly what they were all trained to do.

_"We take out the trash for him. It's why we're here, and now it's your turn."_

Although Say's face and voice had been calm, almost stoic, Kyouri could see the sadness in her dark eyes, as if she was somehow asking for forgiveness.

Kyouri had refused at once. There was no way she was going to spill blood for that bastard. Say had just gazed at her quietly, then asked a simple question:

_"What's it like? To be in love, I mean."_

That question had thrown Kyouri off, the anger and disgust she had been feeling earlier towards Say, her cousins, and her uncle fading.

She had looked at her hands, wondering just how to answer such a question. Finally, she was able to respond.

_"It's like… like feeling complete. Happy. Content. There's nothing missing. Everything is beautiful. It's beautiful."_

Say had looked at her, smiling though her eyes were filled with such sadness.

_"It sounds nice, I wish I could experience it, though someone like me never will."_

She had faced Kyouri, her eyes still soft and naked.

_"Don't forget what it's like, Kyouri."_

Kyouri buried her face into her covers, trying to smother herself.

_I can't forget, I will never forget._

That was why she did it. She killed that man for those people. Her friends. The person she loved.

So why? Why did she feel like this? She felt filthy, as if every inch of her was crawling with dirt and vermin. She could never be clean again; the stench of the blood she had spilled would always surround her.

But it was for them…

She had a reason for doing this. She would always have a reason.

It was a good reason.

They would want…

…Would they?

_What would you do, Sanosuke?_

_

* * *

_

"Ah! Here comes Kyouri-hime!" grinned Rei, "Late, as usual." Kyouri walked up to the group, her eyes shadowed. "Well?" Rei edged up to Kyouri, grinning devilishly, exposing two fangs. "How'd it go?" Kyouri's fists clenched as she ground her teeth together, bowing her head to avoid the girl's sneering expression.

"Leave her alone, Rei," Say said suddenly, jumping down from the roof.

"I wasn't doing anything but inquiring about her first assignment, onee-san," Rei responded with an innocent air.

"She doesn't need your shit," Say frowned, so unexpectedly direct that Rei was shocked into silence.

"…never again…" Kyouri whispered, her head bowed and her fists still clenched.

"What was that?" Rei asked, furrowing her brow.

"Never again," she repeated with more determination. "I will _never_ kill for him again." Kyouri didn't have time to react before she found herself sprawled on the floor, her face throbbing where Rei had punched her.

"Just who the _hell_ do you think you are?" Rei hissed, deep and intense loathing burning in her eyes. "Do you think you're so much better than us that you can refuse when we can't? Do you _really_ think you have any say in this?"

"I don't care, I'm not doing it again," Kyouri replied, her eyes also burning with anger.

"_Then I'll do him the favor of killing you!_" Rei seethed furiously, charging the energy that flowed in her to her hand. She pounced forward, plunging her fist down into Kyouri. Rei looked up from the crater of glass she had left around her to find Say looking down at her, Kyouri on the ground behind her.

"Why the hell did you save her?" Rei growled, pulling her hand out of the glass, shattering it as she did.

"I didn't save her," Say responded coolly, "I saved you."

"BULLSHIT!" Rei yelled. "I will be doing father a favor by killing off that wretch! SHE DOESN'T DESERVE TO LIVE!"

"IT IS NOT UP TO YOU WHETHER SHE LIVES OR DIES!" Say roared, raising her voice for the first time, her face livid with anger. "And you!" She reached down and pulled Kyouri up by the front of her clothes roughly. "Are you forgetting why you're here?" The earth around Say swirled dangerously. "Are you forgetting who you're doing this for? _Will you let them die?_"

Kyouri gazed at her steadily, "I would rather have them die than taint their names with the lives of others." Say's aura flared, the ground now rippling around her.

"I should kill you," she hissed in a voice so low it was hard to hear. "I would be doing you a favor."

"Be my guest," Kyouri grinned bitterly. The earth around Say began to rise as she seriously considered it, but she was stopped by a voice.

"Say-san, please desist." The ground stopped pulsating as Say froze, turning her head to see the eldest daughter standing on the path. The girl's blood red eyes bore into Say, causing her to slowly loosen her grip on Kyouri's clothes. Kyouri stepped away from Say, straightening her gi as she avoided her gaze.

"Kyouri-san," Ichijou said as she transferred her indifferent gaze to Kyouri, "I was hoping you could join me for tea." Kyouri was so taken aback by the offer that it took her a minute to comprehend what Ichijou had said. She glanced at the demonesses around her; Rei gave her a look of utmost hatred while Say resumed her impassive air.

She remembered the humility they had always shown to this demoness, and bowed her head, "I would be honored, Ichijou-sama."

Ichijou dipped her chin once, "Then please follow me to the sitting room." Kyouri didn't look back at the girls as she trailed behind Ichijou's long kimono, not wanting to see Say's reaction.

As soon as both girls had gone, Rei turned around and slammed her fist into a nearby tree, sending splinters flying everywhere and into her already bloody hand.

"THAT WRETCH!" she yelled furiously as her two younger sisters looked on in fear and Say gave her a look of disdain.

"What the hell are you getting worked up about?" Say asked.

"I _hate_ her," Rei fumed, digging her nails into her palms.

Say rolled her eyes and gave an exasperated sigh, "I've always known you were the territorial type, but I never figured you were the jealous type."

"I am _not_ fucking jealous!" Rei snapped.

"Then I'll ask again: why the hell are you getting so worked up?" Say smirked, even though there was nothing funny about the situation.

"I have my reasons, but jealousy isn't one of them."

Say's smirking face shifted quickly into a serious one, "Do you think she's lucky? Just because she got to leave this place for a few years you get to torture her for the rest of her life? What the hell will that achieve?"

Rei smirked, "Causing her to suffer is the only way I'll be appeased." A column of sand appeared from the ground and slammed into Rei, throwing her into the tree she had previously punched and knocking the air out of her. Say stalked up to her as she gasped for air, her usually calm eyes once again furious.

"What the fuck is your problem?" Say snapped. "We are all in the same position; none of us deserve harassment from others."

"Have you really forgotten?" Rei asked, struggling to stand up. She finally did, and looked into her older half-sister's eyes. "Have you already forgotten Issui?" Say froze upon hearing her younger sister's name, averting her gaze. "Do you remember what happened to her?"

"How could I forget?" Say murmured, "How could any of us forget?"

Rei nodded, a sick smile stretching across her face. "She ran away. _She actually got away_. I was… I was so happy." Her voice was slowly rising in volume. "If she could do it, then why couldn't I? Then…"

Her electric blue eyes were swirling with emotion, though Say carefully avoided them. "He caught her. I should've expected it. Do you remember what happened to her?" Say didn't answer. She didn't want these memories brought back. "He tortured her, whipped her, burned her, anything to cause her pain. It went on that way for two weeks; he would go down to those disgusting dungeons, that horrible place that reeks of death and pain, almost every day to find other ways to cause her misery. Then, on the last day, he brought us all down there."

Say couldn't help trembling, remembering the same memories that were flashing through her sister's eyes as her voice escalated further. "He wanted to set an example. _'This is what will happen to you if you run away.'_" Rei's voice shook as her body trembled with rage. "She was a mess, a bloody, stinking, pathetic mess. She was almost indistinguishable from the girl I knew before. Then…" Her sick smile twitched as she struggled to keep her voice from cracking. "He killed her. I was glad he did, she was in such pain." She looked straight into Say's eyes. "_Do you remember?_"

"Of course I do, dammit," Say muttered angrily, looking away. "How could I forget her?"

"And now," Rei's voice was almost hysterical, echoing in the courtyard around them. "That little _wretch_ comes prancing in here after ten fucking years, and he does _nothing_. _He didn't lift a finger towards the girl_."

"Even though you may not see it, Kyouri is suffering as much as Issui."

"_Bullshit_. If she was suffering as much as Issui, she wouldn't be getting these stupid ideas in her head about defying him. Don't you get it? She doesn't understand! _No one can beat him!_"

"At least she's trying!" Say snapped.

"Issui tried! And look where that got her!"

"She still never gave up, and I doubt Kyouri will too."

Rei turned away, still shaking, "Then I guess she's gonna die too." Say was unwilling to answer and confirm her fears.

* * *

Kyouri walked into a large room, still following Ichijou, on the other side of the mansion. She blinked heavily, her eyes adjusting to the sudden change in light, and barely recognized the figure sitting at a table when he spoke.

"Ohayou, Kyouri," he said, his silky voice sending shivers down her back.

"Ohayou, oji-sama," Kyouri responded, although she was freely glaring at him. He smirked at this.

"I heard you have a _problem_ with your job," he continued as Ichijou served tea for all of them.

"Yes, I do," she responded. "I refuse to kill others. Sell my body or my soul if you wish, just don't make me kill others." Her uncle shook his head condescendingly, giving her a piercing look.

A smile stretched across his narrow face.

"I was _afraid_ you were going to say that."

All Kyouri caught a glimpse of was the face of a young girl, pale grey eyes and chilling white hair framing her face as she reached up and touched Kyouri's forehead, before everything around her was plunged into darkness. The last thing she saw in her mind's eye was a pair of blood red eyes boring into her heart, always staring and all-knowing.

* * *

Note: Oooh, there's a reason why Rei's been so bitchy! (notice how none of them call each other "bitches," I think it'd be stupid to call a cat that :D). I wanted to give her a good reason for being so mean to Kyouri; I mean, even I have to admit she was really extreme.

Well, I hope you guys liked this chapter, though it was kind of short. It took forever to post it! The first version of this chapter was ridiculously long, and ridiculously crappy! I mean, seriously! It was so bad I had to completely scrap it and rewrite it! I'm glad I did, this version's a lot better…

Anyways, if you didn't hate her uncle before, you should now. And just _wait_ until I'm through with him! Heh heh…

**Reviewer Responses:**

**FairyMage:** Well, I guess you know what was weird about them now, ne? It's all that idiot uncle's fault (-hiss-). I hope stuff's okay with you, it really took you a while to get this chapter done and I really hope I'm not stressing you more than you already are (you sounded like you were pretty busy in the last review you left me). Still, thanks a lot for the changes you made, it's a _lot_ better (whoo!). Guess what? IT'S SNOWING AGAIN! (-rips out hair-).

**WhiteRabbit5:** Wow, you liked it… T-T. I like the change of tone too, since I've been feeling a little depressed lately and this helps :D. Thank you! I can't believe Kyouri's been bumped up into more than "that OC," it feels good to have someone say that! And you can't really talk about extensive use of an OC, since you have a whole series surrounding one XD. Yeah, it was corny, but it's a mushy romance fic, so that's okay (woot!).

**OmasuOniwabanshu:** I really like the Japanese supernatural stuff; their demons kick ass (XD) so I naturally had to put one in my fic! RuroKen is also a little "supernatural," too. I mean, come on! A guy that got mauled, torched, and shot in the head and still has enough in him to attempt to take over Japan! Puh-lease (joke XD). What I like about RuroKen is that, although the character's may be a little far fetched, they're still, well, human. So I'm trying to keep Kyouri as "half-demon-ish" as possible. :D

**K.T.Kyouko:** O.o You live in AZ? Oh, I am _so_ sorry! (let's pity ourselves for a while… okay, that's enough XD). Ya, well, I have a beta-reader now! So I'm hoping to cut down on the grammar errors! (I go back and look over the stuff you said I got wrong, and it just makes my skin crawl, ech). Glad you liked it!

**Rayne-chan:** I'm still continuing! Thank God! (-hands over a tissue-).

You guys think this chapter was interesting? Just wait until the next one (-evil laugh-).

I got FIVE EXCELLENT reviews for the last chapter! It was so wonderful! If you're reading this, _please_ don't forget to review!

Oh! I hit 60 reviews! (-waves flag-)


	16. Chapter 11: Acceptance

* * *

Chapter 11: Acceptance

* * *

The soft sounds of morning filled Kyouri's ears as she lay in bed, her eyes still shut and unwilling to open to a new day.

Her head was throbbing, a painful pulsating hammering behind her eyes that made her wonder just what had happened the night before.

She couldn't really remember, it all seemed a little blurry…

She'd probably have to get up soon before they sent someone to come and get her, but it felt so comfortable in her sheets and she was unwilling to even move her head as she heard approaching steps.

She turned her back to the door and shut her eyes, praying for a few more minutes of silence.

The door opened and someone called out to her.

"Kyouri-chan? Is everything all right?"

It was Kaoru.

Kyouri shot up, her head protesting painfully.

"K-kaoru?" Kyouri stammered, gawking at the young sensei. Kaoru's eyebrows disappeared under her bangs, then knitted together in concern.

"Yes, Kyouri, it's me," she said, giving a half smile. "Are you all right? You look a little pale." Kyouri's head gave a particularly painful throb, causing Kyouri to wince. She rested her hand against her temple, waiting for the pain to subside. It finally did, and she noticed that Kaoru was now sitting next to her, worry etched on her face.

She sighed heavily, "I told that baka not to give you so much to drink last night. You seem to have a hangover; come to breakfast and I'll make you some tea!"

"Hangover?" Kyouri asked, looking surprised.

"Yes," Kaoru smiled. "You got back last night and Sano insisted on having a huge party. We all drank a bit much, so it's okay."

"I got back?" Kyouri exclaimed. "Wait, where was I?"

"Kyouri-chan, do you have a fever?" Kaoru asked, placing her hand on Kyouri's forehead. "You got back from your trip to visit Yamainu-san, remember?"

"Um, I…" Kyouri trailed off, not particularly remembering but feeling that there was something else.

"Oh well, you should come to breakfast." Kaoru smiled warmly. "You're probably still tired from the trip and all."

"Y-yeah, I'll be right there," Kyouri replied as Kaoru got up and left with a final smile at Kyouri. Kyouri looked at her hands in her lap.

She felt something squirm in her gut, as if something was wrong.

She shivered, then shook off the feeling, and went to get dressed.

* * *

"Dang, that girl cannot hold her alcohol." Sano grinned after Kaoru told him what was wrong with Kyouri. "Even Kenshin doesn't have much of a hangover."

"What's that supposed to mean, Sano?" Kenshin frowned. "This one has always been able to drink a decent amount of alcohol."

"Er…" Sano was saved from having to answer as the door slid open. Kyouri stood there, looking at everyone in shock. Her eyes met Sano's, and they gazed at each other for a few seconds.

"Yo!" Yahiko said, snapping both of them out of their daze. "No bedroom eyes at the table!" Kenshin "oro-ed" as Kaoru smacked Yahiko upside the head. Kyouri was blushing as she sat down awkwardly beside Sano.

"Ohaiyou," she smiled at everyone. "Sorry, I just have this huge headache…"

"So we heard," Sano grinned. "I could take you out to practice drinking more often, if ya want." Kyouri blushed again, remembering the last time they went out, but Sanosuke seemed unfazed. She gave Sano a small laugh, but didn't answer otherwise.

* * *

Kyouri scrubbed the large pot that had been used for the miso soup, her hands working mechanically while her mind went elsewhere.

Sitting with her friends, she'd felt a strange feeling slowly sink into her stomach, so strong that she lost her appetite.

That heavy feeling of dread had been smothering her, but she didn't know why.

She picked up the large pot and hauled it back to the kitchen. As she set it in its rightful cupboard, she pressed her hand against her forehead.

Everything was so fuzzy… she couldn't remember specific events.

She stood up, her head bowed and eyes closed as she tried to remember the trip she had taken.

Images flashed in her mind's eye, too fast and too fuzzy to really distinguish. Amongst them, however, there were images of Yamainu and Sanosuke.

She'd taken that trip… she knew she had.

_Hadn't she?_

She sighed heavily, opening her eyes.

Sano's face was right beside her, staring at her with a curious expression.

"EEP!" she jumped, nearly stumbling as she stepped back in surprise. Sano laughed, straightening up.

"Oi, you were really out of it, ne?" he grinned.

"Don't do that, baka!" she snapped, feeling around with her hand for something to pelt him with. She grabbed a set of cooking chopsticks and chucked them at him, but he dodged, jumping to the side. She was about to throw the dirtyshamoji at him when he suddenly jumped in front of her, dangerously close as he grabbed the paddle.

"Come on, Kyouri, don't be so violent," he grinned, his nose centimeters from hers. "No wonder you don't have a boyfriend." Her face burned with indignation as she pushed him aside and went to pick up the chopsticks.

"I don't need a guy that expects me to act like a prissy little wife," she grumbled, setting them on the counter. She felt a pair of arms wrap gently around her waist.

"I don't expect that," he whispered in her ear, setting his cheek against hers.

"S-sano?" she faltered, her eyes widening at the sudden show of affection.

"Hey, Kyouri, I really missed you," he continued in his soft voice. She felt her heart thumping in her chest as her face burned, but couldn't help smiling. She let her tense shoulders relax, resting her hands on his. She felt him grin, then tighten his hold on her gently.

"I missed you too," she whispered. It felt like an eternity since she had seen him, since she had breathed his scent and heard his soft voice.

He turned her in his arms so that they were facing each other, arms still around their bodies. Everything about his face, from his wide grin to his glowing honey-brown eyes, was shining with happiness. He leaned in slowly, and she felt his fingers interlock behind her, as if trying to keep her from running.

She didn't mind; she wasn't planning on going anywhere.

She felt his soft lips press against hers, forming gently with hers and locking together. It felt as if fireworks erupted inside her, and they both smiled as they slowly deepened the kiss.

As sudden as Sano's hug, the feeling of dread re-emerged inside her, putting out the fireworks and leaving her feeling suddenly cold.

She shivered and pulled away, avoiding Sano's surprised expression.

"Are you okay?" he asked, a worried tone in his voice. She was surprised; she had expected him to get mad. She looked up into his eyes to see that they were set in an anxious expression. As she did, the feeling melted away again, and she smiled.

"Sorry," she said, slightly breathless. "I just--" She didn't get to finish, however, as he kissed her again, bringing his hands up to caress her neck. Once again she smiled, deepening the kiss and wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Oh!" a surprised voice gasped suddenly, causing the two lovers to pull apart. Kaoru was standing at the door, wide-eyed and looking uncomfortable.

"Er, I was just, um," she stuttered as she blushed deeply.

"It's okay, Jou-chan," Sano grinned, turning towards her and returning his arms to Kyouri's hips. "You had to learn about kissing someday."

Kaoru laughed nervously. "Right, I just wanted to see if Kyouri could go to the fish market to see if they had anything left for lunch, although it is a little late and I doubt they still have a good selection, but I still wanted to try and I just came to see…" She trailed off, a blank smile on her face as she waved her hands in defense.

"All right, I'll go see," Kyouri smiled.

"Right!" Kaoru shot out of the room as soon as she could, leaving the two standing in their embrace, grinning widely.

"That must've been really awkward for her," Kyouri mused, turning her gaze back to Sanosuke.

"Yeah," he chuckled, then he looked down at her with a warm smile. "You don't have to leave right now, you know." Kyouri smiled, resting her head in the crook of his neck as he held her tightly.

She didn't want to leave; she loved the way it felt to be wrapped in his loving embrace, the coarse fabric of his gi against her cheek and the feeling of his chest rising with each breath made her feel safe.

_Safe…_

Kyouri's train of thought surprised her; why would she think of that word?

The feeling quickly dissipated, however, as he cupped his hand under her chin and kissed her again.

She allowed herself to stay with him for a few more minutes before she finally willed herself to break away from his embrace. She gave him a warm smile at the door, both their faces flushed with happiness.

She practically glided to the market in a lovesick haze, hardly paying attention to her surroundings.

* * *

Kyouri walked down the path happily, humming under her breath and holding two fish wrapped in rice paper. Kaoru would be pretty happy that she had been able to find such good fish at this hour, and would probably be willing to take part in another cooking lesson.

She was still humming as she slid open the gate, but stopped instantly as she let out a scream of surprise, her package falling to the ground.

The dojo had been leveled; debris and rubble, along with a few posts that were still upright, seemed to be all that was left.

"How…?" she managed as a deep panic overtook her as her eyes assessed the damage. Where was everyone?

Her eyes fell on a small hand that was sticking out of the rubble. She hurried to it and began to push the large pieces of the dojo off the body.

She finally managed to pull Yahiko out by his hand.

He wasn't moving.

She turned him over, only to drop him and jump back in horror.

His eyes were wide open, as if gazing in disbelief at death; three large gashes ran across his chest and throat, his usual turquoise blue gi darkened with blood.

Kyouri was shaking heavily, looking at the small body of the young boy she had talked to only this morning.

Who had done this?

She ran around the destruction to where the yard would be, only to find another horror awaiting her.

Against one of the large posts that had been left standing were Kaoru and Kenshin, her arms wrapped around his neck and her chin resting lamely on the top of his head. He was still gripping his sakabatou, a defeated and pained expression on his face, while Kaoru, even in death, was gazing at him with a warm yet remorseful expression. Both of them were drenched in each other's blood.

Kyouri stood, frozen, staring at the image in front of her, her mind buzzing.

"Kaoru… Kenshin…" she whispered, tears forming in the corner of her eyes. Her heart gave a painful throb. "Sanosuke!" She began running, looking for the man she loved, praying to all the Gods and whatever other deities that could help her that he would be all right. "Sanosuke! Sano!" She continued yelling his name, her panic mounting with each passing moment of silence. "SANO!"

There was movement under a particularly large pile of rubble. Kyouri stopped, her breath catching in her throat as she watched Sanosuke emerge from the debris.

"Sano!" she exclaimed happily as relief flooded her. He was alive…

He looked up at her in surprise, then did something completely unexpected.

He glared at her.

"You… you _bitch_…" he snarled with a pained expression as he clutched his bruised chest. Kyouri's happiness evaporated.

"Sano…? Wha…?" she gasped, a weak, hopeful smile still on her face.

"What're you doing here? Coming to laugh at us?" he growled as his expression deepened. "This is all your fault." Never had someone given Kyouri a look of so much hatred and loathing. He clenched his fists, then without warning began to charge towards her.

"THEY'RE DEAD BECAUSE OF YOU!" he roared as he approached her. Kyouri could've had a chance to run or dodge, but her feet suddenly felt as if they were made of lead, and she could only watch as her love pulled his fist back and rammed it into her face. She was knocked back a few feet, falling on her bottom as her face stung smartly. Sanosuke faltered, clutching his chest once again, but his intense expression didn't.

Kyouri touched her cheek gingerly, wincing when it throbbed. Tears began to run down her cheek as she watched Sano muster up the energy to come towards her again, killing intent visible in his eyes.

"Why…?" she gasped as her vision blurred with hot tears. "Sano… don't…" But he didn't hear her pleads, his eyes glazed manically with hatred as he clenched his fists in front of him.

He finally reached her, towering above her with his impressive height, a dangerous snarl on his usually laughing face. He was preparing to kick her, lifting his foot with effort as she stared on in horror.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," hissed a shadow standing behind him. Long talons suddenly erupted through his chest, sending a spray of blood everywhere and drenching Kyouri's face.

The familiar stench of blood filled her nostrils, and the memory of the man she had killed suddenly flooded her, along with where she really had been for the past two weeks.

"No…" she whispered as Sanosuke's eyes began to dull, a river of blood running from his chest as the talons receded. His knees buckled under him and he slumped forward onto Kyouri, his face landing next to hers as she caught him awkwardly.

"I can't believe…" he gasped, his voice raspy as he struggled to say his final words, "that I ever loved a monster like you…" Kyouri couldn't stop shaking, couldn't stop the tears that were flowing from her wide eyes, mingling with Sanosuke's blood on her face, as she felt his body go limp.

He slid off her like a blood covered rag doll.

"No… Sanosuke…" she whispered hoarsely as she turned him around, "Don't go…" His eyes were half open, the usually vibrant honey brown color now dull and lifeless. "Sano…" She huddled over him, hugging his dead body and smearing his crimson blood over her red clothes, sobbing uncontrollably and begging for forgiveness.

"Why do you cry for that filthy human?" a voice said. Kyouri snapped her head up, looking at her uncle who was standing where Sanosuke had stood.

"You…" she hissed, her eyes narrowing. "YOU KILLED HIM!" She hugged his body closer to hers, as if protecting his already lifeless form, panting with the effort of yelling through her racking sobs.

"Yes," he grinned, bringing up his blood covered hand and licking one of the talons with a sick smile. "I suppose I did."

Kyouri placed Sanosuke's body carefully on the ground, closing his eyes with her hand, then looked up at her uncle with immense hatred. "_I'll kill you._" She lunged forward, swiping at him with her fist, but he dodged to the side easily, causing her to lose her balance and fall forward into the dirt ground.

"Kill me?" he laughed. "Shouldn't you be aiming that hatred at someone else?"

Kyouri looked up from the ground, glaring at him, "What?"

"_You're the one that caused their death_," he replied, sneering at her with the same mocking smile.

Kyouri's heart jumped into her throat, but she forced it back down with a large gulp. "Bastard, you're the one that killed them."

"But _you're_ the reason I did." Kyouri froze, blinking stupidly as her pulse quickened. "_You're_ the one that ran away, _you're_ the one that came here, _you're_ the reason I had to kill these people. It was to punish _you_." The painful buzzing filled Kyouri's head once again as she mentally denied his words.

"No… no, it's not true!" she yelled, but even she could notice the frantic and defeated tone in her voice.

"What other reason would I have for killing these people?" he asked, raising a thin black eyebrow. "What other reason would they have to die cursing your name?"

"Wha-what?" she gasped.

"I clearly explained to them just why I had to make examples of them," he explained, grinning. "The swordsman died protecting that wench, and their last words were un-granted wishes that _you_ had never come to their dojo. The boy, after seeing their deaths, attempted to run away, swearing to take revenge on _you_. And that man-- well, you know what happened with him; he died wondering just why he had fallen in love with a _monster_ like _you_."

"L-liar…" she said, shaking her head in disbelief. "Kaoru, Kenshin, Yahiko… they're not like that… and Sano--" She stopped, remembering what he had said.

_"I can't believe… that I ever loved a monster like you…"_

A monster? Is that what he really thought of her?

"Don't you understand, Kyouri?" her uncle asked, looking down at her with contempt. "Humans will _always_ hate our—_your_--kind. And yet demons will always shun you for your human blood." His smirk widened. "No matter how good you may believe they are, they will always treat you like _vermin_."

He hunched down to her level, reaching out and cupping his hand under her chin so that she had to look at him. "Now, I, on the other hand, will always care for you, even if you are a _hanyou_." Kyouri stared at him, her eyes wide in horror. "Don't you see? The only place you will _ever_ belong is in my home."

A horrible realization sank into Kyouri's stomach, making her nauseous as everything began spinning around her.

_It's true… it's true… I'll never…_

She hung her head in despair, tears leaking out of her tightly shut eyes.

"Come back to me, Kyouri," her uncle said in a silky, coaxing voice. "I need you…"

"Please…" she gasped, "No more… please…"

"It's all right," he continued. "Rest now, Kyouri."

She felt her body grow heavy, darkness veiling her vision and allowing her numb mind to finally rest. She welcomed the feeling, and quickly fell into a heavy and dreamless sleep.

* * *

"I wonder how 'tea-time' went for the little princess," Rei smirked to her two sisters as Say pretended not to hear. "I hope she saved me some crumpets." If Say hadn't been able to control her emotions so well, Rei would've found herself trapped in a sand dune.

Approaching steps could be heard as Rei quipped, "Oh look! Here comes the princess now!"

Kyouri appeared before them.

"K-kyouri…?" Say gasped. Apparently she didn't have as good a hold on her emotions as she thought she did.

The young hanyou stood before her, gazing at her indifferently with vibrant green slitted eyes. At her sides were her hands, now graced with sharp talons that could be used as deadly weapons. An aura of demon and human energy swirled around her, giving her a strange scent.

"Oooh!" Rei grinned in amusement. "Kyouri-hime has taken off her wittle necklace! How does it feel to be a true-blue hanyou?" Kyouri didn't answer, but just shot her cousin a piercing glare.

"Kyouri, why did you take it off?" Say asked, her eyebrows knitted together as she recalled the girl's persistence to remember her human side.

"What's the point of keeping it on if I'm going to be living here for the rest of my life?" Kyouri replied, her voice strangely flat and distant. "Let's get going." Without a second glance she walked past her cousins towards the direction of the training hall.

An uncomfortable silence that even Rei was unwilling to break fell over the demonesses.

"Well," Say sighed tiredly, glancing at Rei as she began to follow the hanyou, "I guess you were right."

Rei didn't answer as she felt her heart sink with a feeling that felt uncannily like disappointment.

* * *

Note: …

(-nervously-)Umm, hi… o.o (-ducks for cover-)

Don't hate me yet! The fic isn't over! Please, _please_, stick around, I swear there's more stuff that's in store.

I'm not gonna say anymore, tho', I don't trust myself (-zips mouth closed like the Genie-). :3

And please don't forget to review, de gozaru. I've gotten great reviews so far, they make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside!


	17. Chapter 12: You think of a title this ti...

Chapter 12: You think of a title this time, dammit!

"Oi! Open the door!" Say cried loudly as she pounded her fist against Kyouri's door. A vein throbbed on her forehead after a few moments of silence. "Dammit, Kyouri! Open the door or I'll tear it down!"

Still no answer.

"_Kyouri_…" Say hissed through clenched teeth. "_Open…the…door…_"

(Crickets in the background)

_Wham!_

The door slammed open as Say's temper finally took over and she rammed her foot through the door knob. She stomped into the room, looking around angrily for the missing hanyou. Kyouri's absence in the courtyard that morning had more than annoyed the elder demoness.

"Prepare for pain," she growled as she cracked her knuckles threateningly and her eyes darted to the bed. A large lump was visible in the sheets, and just as Say noticed it she got a whiff of something in the air.

"The hell!" she exclaimed, clamping her hand over her nose as she stared at whoever was in the covers. "Why the hell is there a human in here!"

A hand emerged from the depths of the sheets, pushing them away and revealing the long brown hair that was unique to Kyouri.

"Are you wearing that damn necklace again?" Say asked, narrowing her accusingly and placing her hands on her hips.

"No, it's on the table," Kyouri replied dully, not looking up. Say glanced at the table, and, sure enough, there lay the necklace, a thin layer of dust over it after weeks of neglect.

"Then why…?" Say muttered, glancing at Kyouri again with a look of surprise.

"It happens every month," Kyouri said, meeting Say's eyes for the first time. Say stepped back in surprise as her eyebrows shot up into her dark bangs; instead of the bright green orbs she was used to seeing, a pair of deep brown eyes stared back at her, dim and murky as the earth in the depths of a river.

"You're… you're _human_?" Say gawked, her mouth dropping open. Kyouri gave her a scornful look as she got out of bed, brushing her long hair out of her eyes.

"Yeah, but just for today," she replied. She added with a sharp glance at Say, "_Don't_ tell Rei, I don't want her getting me when I'm weak. I'd rather we keep this--" She trailed off as Say took her hand and began examining it.

"Incredible," Say grinned. "No talons, the flesh is softer, you even _reek_ of human!"

"Shut up," Kyouri grimaced, jerking her hand back. "If I could stop this I would, but this damn body won't let me."

"That's what being a hanyou is all about," Say shrugged, grinning slightly at her cousin's annoyance. She took on a thoughtful tone, "Hey, Kyouri, if you could, would you turn pure blood?"

Kyouri didn't say anything at first, but then answered indifferently, "Probably. It'd be more convenient, anyway."

"For what?" Say asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Pounding Rei into the ground," Kyouri smirked.

"You _already_ do that," Say scoffed.

"Yeah, but not as well as I'd like to," Kyouri replied, clutching her fist in front of her. Say frowned.

"Is that…._really_ what you think pure bloods are like?" A thin veil of silence covered the girls.

"I don't need to think it," Kyouri snorted. "I know." Kyouri looked at her cousin, noting the troubled expression in her eyes, although her face was hard and stoic. Kyouri gave an exasperated sigh, then turned and plopped down on her bed, keeping her back towards Say. "I'm taking the day off," she said indifferently. "This should pass by tonight. It only happens on the day after the full moon."

"Right," Say muttered, "I'll tell that to Rei, though she won't be happy about it."

"When is she ever happy?" Kyouri asked. Say didn't answer, but walked out of the room, shutting the door behind her quietly.

* * *

_When _is _Rei ever happy?_ Say thought as she lay on the roof of the mansion that night, gazing up at the mostly full moon above her. She thought back, trying to remember the last time Rei had been happy. 

_Issui._

The young demoness was really the only one that had ever been close to Rei. They were both brought to the mansion at around the same time, and were very close in age.

It was really only after her death that Rei's hatred for their father became truly apparent.

Say closed her eyes, thinking of Rei as a young child. It was hard to believe the little girl that used to wear her pale blonde hair in two tiny buns had grown into such an emotional and vengeful woman.

_"When is she ever happy?"_

When were any of them ever happy? Was that even an emotion any of them were allowed to feel?

_Mother…_

Yes, she had felt it. She knew what it was like to be happy.

Didn't she?

She closed her eyes, and memories of a life by the endless river, catching fish and playing with her cousins, all came back to her in a sweet stream of delight.

She opened them, and realized she was still in Japan, far away from the Nile and her mother.

_"What's it like? To be in love, I mean."_

Feeling complete. Happy. Content.

Is that what she felt? When she was around her mother, did she feel that way?

_"Is that…really what you think pure bloods are like?"_

_"I don't need to think it, I know."_

Demons. They were known for their heartlessness, brutality, and sheer ability to kill. In the end, massacring lives, either human or demonic, was the thing they were best at.

So were they incapable of feeling things such as love?

Humans fought and killed each other often enough. Just ten years ago the ground had run red with the blood of humans as they killed to establish a new government.

Did that mean they were heartless, too?

What did it take? Where was the line drawn between human and demon? Since she was a demoness, were such feelings as love and friendship alien to her? All this time she had been staying in this place, she had kept her distance from her sisters. It wasn't until Kyouri came that she had a friend for the first time in centuries.

Why? Why did she pity that girl so much? Why did she feel such a bond with such a pathetic creature? Ever since Kyouri had arrived, Say had somewhat sheltered her from Rei's brutality, using her father's mercilessness as an excuse, saying that she was protecting Rei by making sure she didn't make a mistake.

But there was more to it than that.

Why?

_Because she had a mother too._

Say was the oldest daughter of her father, excluding Ichijou who was the _only_ daughter of her father. She had been born in a far away land where rolling sand dunes and luscious river banks coexisted. She had lived there for ten years before her father had sent for her. She arrived in Tokyo when she was ten, and hadn't left the since.

She hadn't seen her mother since either.

_"Why did mommy leave? When is she coming back? Say-nee, where is my mommy?"_

She hadn't been able to bring herself to answer. She hadn't been able to affirm the horrible truth that Kyouri's mother wasn't coming back.

Just like hers wasn't.

But even though she had tried to protect Kyouri, even aiding her escape ten years ago (though the girl was unaware of it) Kyouri still ended up getting hurt.

Just like Rei.

Is that what it took? If one lost all that was important to them, would they fill up with as much hate as Kyouri or Rei?

Then why wasn't she like them? Didn't she lose her mother? Why didn't she hate her father as much as her sister and cousin did?

_Mother let me go willingly_.

Kyouri and Rei had lost people important to them, while Say was simply let go.

_"My little daughter, take this with you. It'll keep you entertained on the ship and during long nights."_

Say pulled out the small Nay flute from her tunic, gazing at it wistfully.

_"Think of me when you play it."_

This was different than what had happened to Kyouri and Rei.

_"Issui is dead. He killed her. I will never forgive her killer."_

_"Mother left. I saw her leave, but she didn't tell me when she would come back. I don't want to stay here, I want to go home. I want to go home…"_

Say had cared for them. She had always cared for them. As the eldest of the illegitimate daughters, it had been her duty to care for them.

To teach them.

Shelter them.

Protect them.

She cared for her sisters. That was the reason she wasn't as hateful as Rei or Kyouri.

She still had her sisters.

And she still couldn't do anything for them.

* * *

"How was your trip, father?" Ichijou asked as she carefully poured tea into the delicate little cups. 

"Fine," he replied indifferently. "Things are going well here, I presume?"

"Hai, father," Ichijou said, sipping her tea elegantly.

"How is the hanyou?"

"She is improving; even Rei doesn't bother her anymore." Ichijou watched as a large smile stretched across her father's face. She placed her tea down on the table gently. "Father, excuse my boldness, but may I ask why you are putting so much energy into that hanyou? To go so far as to even use Muma-san to manipulate her dreams, I'm afraid I don't understand."

His smile stretched even farther as he gazed at his daughter with his dark red eyes, "Yes, I'm sure you don't." He also put his cup down. "Simply put, she is my brother's daughter." He took this time to pick his cup up again and take a long sip. Ichijou waited patiently until he finished, but he didn't continue even then.

"I'm afraid I still don't understand."

He chuckled darkly as his fangs were exposed by his smirk, "Though we were brothers, we were as different as the day and night. Because of that we had different strengths: I had the strength to manipulate while he had the simple strength of a brute. I was always wary of him because I knew it would be easy for him to kill me if he wanted to, so you can imagine how blessed I felt when I found out he was seeing a human wench."

He took another long sip and continued, "I allowed them some time, playing the ignoramus while I watched them carefully. I had to play this card carefully, or it could be used against me. My patience was rewarded when I found out the human girl had given birth to a hanyou. I waited a few more years, giving them time to 'bond,' as you might say.

"You see, a prey becomes especially vulnerable when it becomes emotionally attached to others.

"By then, all I had to do was threaten the lives of his wife and child and watch him crumble at my feet." He concluded with a satisfied gleam in his eye as he held his cup up to be refilled.

"But father, you still haven't answered my question about why you're spending so much effort on that girl," Ichijou said as she poured him more tea.

"She's already proving her worth if she can stand up to Rei. A girl like her can be easily manipulated and she is a powerful tool. I believe with the proper training she can become as strong as Say, and if we can find a way to make her a pure blood, she'll be indestructible."

"So she is a weapon?"

"Exactly." He sipped his tea with a content gleam in his eye as Ichijou fell into a thoughtful silence.

* * *

Note: Arghhh, I've had this chapter ready for a while, but I just keep forgetting to post it! Gomen, gomen, but I just don't have time sometimes. What's weird is that I'm really not busy at all. It's frustrating how the day just disappears! At this rate I'm gonna be fifty waaay too soon! 

Umm, I guess all I have to say is that I have a few sidenotes.

Samurai Champloo's on Adult Swim (on cartoon network) on Sunday's now! WATCH THIS SHOW, DAMMIT! If you liked Cowboy Bebop and Samurai X (you should like Samurai X if you like RuroKen) then you'll totally love this anime too.

I HAVE A WEBSITE! HORAAY FOR MEEEE! Yes, I have a blog on a site called Xanga (a blogring community). You should come check it out! It's at** www. xanga. com/ kie(-underscore-)san**, just take out the spaces. You should come, read my blog, GET AN ACCOUNT (it's actually really fun, especially for those of us who like to write), and leave me a comment, de gozaru.

Oh, and pretty much everyone guessed that the scene of horrible doom was made by he-who-must-be-mauled-by-squirrels, which is good, because I thought someone would flame me for killing off the whole cast of RuroKen (ha ha ha… -shifty eyes-)

Okay, enough of me ranting!

**Reviewer Responses:**

**WhiteRabbit5:** I'M IN A C2 COMMUNITY! I'M IN A C2 COMMUNITY! Yay! Thank you so much! (sessha is so honored). Lol Yeah, that is pretty embarrassing that they were snuggling and stuff, but I gotta say I loved writing that scene (I love cuddle scenes!). BTW, I am going to read some of your fic TODAY (-grin!-), since I have no homework (yaaay, AP is over!).

**FairyMage:** lol I guess that's the downside to having a beta-reader, ne? Ya, I agree, we need to make the evil one get killed by something horrible (like a kumquat or something). Ah, well, you're just gonna have to wait and see, aren't ya!

**K.T. Kyouko:** Ha! I made you cried! Mission accomplished! Lol Glad you liked the chapter!

**Rayne-chan:** Oooh, glow sticks, perdy… O-O. Don't worry, Ray-chan, all will be better (or at least, I think it's gonna be better…).

**Omasuoniwabanshu:** Yay! (-claps-) You're the only one that got Rei's little comment at the end! At least you realize Rei isn't _completely_ evil, which she isn't, just close. Revenge is a platter best served with popsicle sticks, remember that.

**IzakiRioFLAME:** (your name is a pain to write!). Nah, I don't think I'll do another GaaraxOC (it'd be weird, as if Gaara was cheating on Kitai or something). Still, I'm glad you liked it!

**Micah Cappy Morse:** T-T Yay, I'm so happy you don't think it's another brainless SanoxOC! Sano is my second favorite character of RK (Ken-san is the first), and it's painful to see how _they_ butcher him sometimes. I hope you keep reading, de gozaru!

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh! I got SEVEN reviews! Hurray! I want to thank all of you guys that leave reviews, you're just awesome. A very special thanks to those of you who have stuck with me through this fic (not saying names, but you all know who you are, so feel special, dammit!). I love you all! HUGS! (-reviewers run away-)

Don't forget to leave a review, de gozaru!

Seriously, leave a review or Rei will zap you.


	18. Buried Feelings

Chapter 13: Buried Feelings

"Ack, okay, okay, let's take a break," Say panted as she gasped for breath, clutching her side. She was slowly getting used to getting a workout, since Kyouri was improving. The young hanyou's abilities skyrocketed after she took off her necklace, and now she was probably even better than Rei.

"Fine," Kyouri sighed, stabbing her training pole into the ground as she attempted to calm her own breathing.

"Dang," Say grinned as she joked, "If you keep going on like this you'll be able to take on father." A glint flashed in Kyouri's eyes, but she didn't answer.

"DAMN IT!"

A loud screech suddenly filled the air, making Say's eyebrows rise in surprise.

"Hm, it seems that Rei is having another temper tantrum," Say grinned as "damn it" was shouted repeatedly, ringing through the training yard, along with several nasty sounding crashes. "Let's go see if we can torment her some more."

Say sprinted out of the yard, heading for Rei's training area, as Kyouri shrugged and followed at a more leisurely pace.

By the time Kyouri had arrived where Say and Rei were, several trees had been uprooted and some new craters graced the ground. Rei was sitting in the middle of the chaos, huffing angrily as electricity cackled around her.

"I am going to _kill_ that bastard," she scowled angrily as her eyes burned a hole into the ground in front of her.

"Who is she talking about?" Say asked nonchalantly at Aisu, who was standing nearby with wide eyes (probably fearing for her life), along with her sister, Uneri.

"There was a human yesterday that prevented Rei-nee-san from getting her target, Say-nee-sama," Aisu responded reluctantly. "Father got quite angry and promised her she would spend a year in the dungeons if she failed again."

"You didn't kill your target?" Kyouri asked, interest piqued for the first time. It was rare that any of them let their prey live past the night they were assigned.

"Look, it wasn't my fault," Rei snorted angrily. "Some idiot half-drunk bastard came running and began yelling at me at the top of his lungs." Rei scowled some more before continuing. "It wasn't long before every frickin' light in the district was on. Fool, I should've killed that bird head." Kyouri's eyes widened, but she didn't move otherwise, though her pulse quickened.

"What did he look like?" she asked carefully, eyes still wide in an otherwise stoic face.

"Big ugly hair, a tacky white jacket with a red headband and some pants," Rei frowned at Kyouri. "He had a big freakin' mouth, too." Kyouri felt her breath catch in her throat as her blood froze, the hair on the back of her neck standing on end.

"I'm taking this assignment," Kyouri said suddenly, her fists clenching as her heart pounded loudly.

"What? No way in hell!" Rei retorted, getting up and striding towards Kyouri. "This freak's mine, you got that?"

"I said," Kyouri frowned through clenched teeth, piercing Rei with fierce green eyes as her aura spiked around her menacingly, "that _I'm_ taking this assignment." Rei stepped back, but didn't say anything as she pressed her mouth into a thin line. Kyouri finally broke her burning gaze and strode out of the yard. She didn't notice the troubled look on Say's face as she followed her.

_No way… he can't be alive…_

"What the hell was that all about?" Say asked her, matching Kyouri's stride as she caught up to her.

"Nothing," Kyouri replied sharply.

"That little 'nothing' was a whole lot of something," Say frowned, not buying Kyouri's explanation at all.

"There's just something I need to check," Kyouri snapped. "Why do you care?"  
Say stopped, placing her hands on her hips as she gazed at Kyouri sternly, "Have you forgotten that it's up to _me_ who gets which assignments? As far as I'm concerned, Rei still has this job." Kyouri faced her cousin, her blood pulsing through her rapidly.

"Say, don't make me hurt you," Kyouri said icily, challenging Say's fierce gaze with her own.

"I'd like to see you try," Say retorted calmly. They stared each other down for minutes, neither blinking, bodies tense and ready to strike.

A fight seemed inevitable until, finally, Kyouri sighed, knowing she wasn't at Say's level yet. "I just need some closure."

"On what?" Say asked, arching her eyebrows.

"I need to see if it… if it was really him." For the first time in weeks, Say finally noticed, Kyouri's eyes were a troubled green. "Maybe he's not dead…" There was a piercing pain in her eyes as she looked at Say sadly. "But I don't understand… I watched him die…"

Realization dawned on Say as the pieces clicked together. Her eyes widened, and Kyouri caught it.

"Say," she said softly, her eyes hardening once again. "You know something, don't you?" Say didn't answer, but pressed her lips together in silence. Kyouri frowned, her aura flowing around her. "Say, answer me, or else."

"Or else what?" Say snapped, irritated that Kyouri would have the nerve to challenge her constantly. Kyouri didn't respond, but the growing aura around the hanyou was answer enough.

"I don't want to fight you," Kyouri said. Say seriously considered taking on Kyouri, but if she did it would mean an end to the longest lasting friendship she had ever had. She sighed heavily, lowering her eyes as Kyouri's aura receded.

"It was Muma," she responded simply.

"Muma?" Kyouri echoed as she waited for more.

"Yeah, she's father's favorite mode of persuasion," Say explained grudgingly. "She has the power to control dreams so well that you can't tell if they're real or not."

A shadow fell over Kyouri's eyes as she considered this.

_It was all an illusion._

"I didn't realize he had used her on you," Say said quietly, watching Kyouri. "I'm sorry."

"It doesn't matter," Kyouri replied emotionlessly. "It won't change anything."

"I could give the assignment back to Rei if you want," Say offered.

"No, I'll do it," Kyouri replied blandly as she began to walk away. "What're the chances of running into him anyway?"

Say watched as Kyouri disappeared around a corner, feeling a sense of helplessness settling deep into her stomach.

* * *

Sano sighed heavily, letting the warm summer breeze wash over him as he walked lazily down the dirt road. It was another hot day in Tokyo, especially after a long night of drinking.

He closed his eyes as listened to the sound of the river that flowed cheerfully by the road, smelling the damp earth and hearing the swaying grass in the light breeze.

One month, and just as he thought he had forgotten, something came along and reopened the wounds.

It all started the day before, when an unexpected letter arrived.

_Hiya, Kyouri!_

_Greetings from our house. Yes, _our_ house. Shousei and I have made it back safely and are now staying at home with our parents!_

_Bet you're wondering why it took so long for us to write, aren't you? Well, we had to stop by Yamainu's place first, and then wait for them to stop celebrating his arrival before we could leave. To say his village was happy to see him would be an understatement. He is, after all, the son of the leader's daughter, half blood or not. Shousei and I had a good time staying there, which is kind of weird in itself, but the fact that we could go along openly kind of threw us off. After three years, it's only natural, ne? Yami, on the other hand, was hanging out and laughing all the time. I don't think I've ever seen him grin so much, and it's been a while since I saw those teeth!_

_We left him there and headed back home, fearing the worst (especially our father). We figured if all else failed we could at least crash with you or Yami (now aren't you happy it all worked out?). Our parents were happy to see us, along with our hoard of brothers. Shousei and I were nearly smothered to death when they all "fox" piled us when we got back! We also had a long talk with Father and Mother, and they've promised not to pressure us to wed yet. We are still young, anyway, and there'll be plenty of time to find a mate._

_We hope you're reading this letter in good health, both physically and spiritually, and we hope to hear from you soon. Yami sends his best wishes, along with his whole tribe, even though they don't know you._

_Lots of love,_

_Sachi and Shousei_

_P.S. You and Sano-kun better be getting it on!_

Sanosuke shook his head, the letter reciting itself in his head just as Kyouri's farewell letter had done a month ago.

Along with bringing painful memories, it made his suspicions of Kyouri's true intentions grow. She hadn't gone to China with them, so where was she?

He stopped, looking at the river and feeling a throbbing in his chest. He tried to brush off the feeling, looking forward to the commotion his friends at the dojo brought him.

Distraction after distraction was all he could hope for.

* * *

"Oi!" Sano called lazily as he stepped into the large yard of the Kamiya Dojo as means of greeting.

"Hello, Sano," Kenshin smiled up from the pile of laundry he was currently scrubbing clean. "Here for dinner, this one supposes?"

"So what if I am, Kenshin?" Sano grinned as he slumped down into his usual spot on the walkway. "Where are jou-chan and the kid?"

"We're right here, stupid," Yahiko called from inside the drill hall as he jogged out. He stood in front of Sanosuke huffily, looking peeved. "Please tell me you're here to pick up your friend, he's driving me crazy."

Inside the hall loud cheers of "Oh my, how well done!" and "You're so strong, Kamiya-san!" were heard, making Sano raise his eyebrows in wonder as Yahiko gritted his teeth in annoyance. Before he could ask, Kaoru came out, laughing rather awkwardly as a small mousy man with grey hair followed her.

"I've always looked up to swordsmen--er--women," the small man laughed. "I'm so lucky to be able to spend time in this dojo!"

"You're still here?" Sano asked, arching an eyebrow at the man.

"Oh, hello, Sagara-san!" the man quipped. "Why are you here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Yahiko mumbled under his breath, shooting glares at the small man.

"Kyuuso-dono, will you be staying for dinner?" Kenshin asked apprehensively.

"Oh, I believe I will!" Kyuuso laughed heartily, then added as a second thought, "If you don't mind."

"Er, no, no," Kaoru laughed, "In fact, why don't you go and set out dinner? We'll be there in a second."

"All right, Kamiya-san!" the old man squeaked. "Leave it to me and you just rest!" He scampered down the walkway and disappeared around the corner, heading to the kitchen.

At that moment Kaoru's character changed completely. She turned on Sanosuke, her eyes practically spitting fire, "Sanosuke, next time I _forbid you_ from bringing _any_ of your little friends to the dojo."

"He's not a friend," Sano frowned. "I just didn't want him to follow me to my place."

"But why did you bring him here?" Kaoru cried, throwing her arms up in dismay.

Sano shrugged, "I figured he'd feel safe in a dojo."

"Kaoru-dono, perhaps we should be cutting him a little slack," Kenshin smiled. "He did experience a horrible ordeal last night."

"You have near death experiences all the time, Kenshin!" Yahiko exclaimed. "But I don't see you clamping on to perfect strangers for security! The guy's a nut case! _He even complimented Kaoru's cooking_!"

"He's not _that_ bad," Kaoru mumbled. "At least he shows appreciation."

"Relax, just give him a few days and he'll forget the whole thing," Sano said dismissively. "He'll be out of here before you know it."

No one answered as they all stared at Sano in disbelief.

"Then _you_ keep him," Kaoru fumed.

"This one wonders if Megumi-dono would take him…" Kenshin mused.

"That's not a bad idea," Yahiko replied, "They guy's crazy enough to be sick."

"Dinner's ready!" a cordial voice called out.

"How can he stay so _happy_ all the time!" Yahiko cried as he stomped down the walkway, Kaoru following him and berating him for being so noisy, leaving Kenshin and Sanosuke alone.

"So what do you think, Kenshin?" Sano asked, his mood getting more serious.

"It is likely that the assassin you encountered last night was a professional," Kenshin replied. "Chief Uramura told this one about a series of murders that often occur a few times every month. Every victim is killed quickly and efficiently, and they are all debtors, just like our friend."

"That means they'll come back for him."

"Most likely, which is why it would be best for him to stay at the dojo for a while, no matter how--er--_painful_ it might be."

"Hey, I'm not the one that has to live here." Kenshin shot an annoyed look at Sano, but he just grinned and let it slide.

Sano stood up and patted Kenshin on the back, "Don't worry about it, they're nothing we can't handle if they just take off like that one last night."

"Hai, hai," Kenshin sighed, "Just don't get too cocky."

"Like you don't?" Sano replied, raising an eyebrow at the small rurouni.

"Let's just go eat dinner," Kenshin frowned, his eyebrows knitting together as Sano grinned behind his back.

* * *

Every night they were there, staring at her with wide angry eyes. She watched the crowd slowly swell as the number of her victims grew, and each night it seemed there was a new pair of hateful eyes watching her.

They were waiting for her, waiting to drag her soul down to hell.

Her friends--Sanosuke, Kenshin, Kaoru, Yahiko--and all those other nameless humans she had killed stood on the other side of that dark river as she sat tied to the opposite bank, silent tears running down her face.

She would wake from the same dream almost every night, wiping the tears off her face with the same apathetic expression she wore throughout the day. It didn't matter if her humanity showed up during the cover of night, as long as she remained demonic throughout the day.

It didn't matter that her true emotions broke through in her dreams, as long as she could hide them from everyone else during the day.

Including herself.

But tonight it would be different. There would be four less pairs of eyes watching her across the River Styx that night, because she didn't kill them.

It didn't change anything. Even if he was alive, she knew she could never tell him her secret. None of them would ever accept her.

She was here just to finish her assignment, nothing else. It didn't matter that her target happened to be in the same dojo she had lived in. It didn't matter that her friends were behind the wall she was standing by. It didn't matter that perhaps somewhere she could still be aching for them.

It didn't matter because she was not human.

"Sano, they're here," she heard Kenshin's voice say. A small unfamiliar squeak echoed through the air, and she figured it had to belong to her target. She heard the shuffle of clothes as they stood, ready to face their opponent.

She pulled her hood over her head and her scarf over her mouth, then jumped up and over the wall, her naginata gripped securely in her hand.

* * *

**"Boulevard Of Broken Dreams"**

**Green Day**

**I walk a lonely road  
The only one that I have ever known  
Don't know where it goes  
But it's home to me and I walk alone**

**I walk this empty street  
On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams  
Where the city sleeps  
and I'm the only one and I walk alone**

**I walk alone  
I walk alone**

**I walk alone  
I walk a...**

**My shadow's the only one that walks beside me  
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating  
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me  
'Til then I walk alone**

**Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Aaah-ah,  
Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Ah-ah**

**I'm walking down the line  
That divides me somewhere in my mind  
On the border line  
Of the edge and where I walk alone**

**Read between the lines  
What's fucked up and everything's alright  
Check my vital signs  
To know I'm still alive and I walk alone**

**I walk alone  
I walk alone**

**I walk alone  
I walk a...**

**My shadow's the only one that walks beside me  
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating  
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me  
'Til then I walk alone**

**Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Aaah-ah  
Ah-ah, Ah-ah**

**I walk alone  
I walk a...**

**I walk this empty street  
On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams  
Where the city sleeps  
And I'm the only one and I walk a...**

**My shadow's the only one that walks beside me  
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating  
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me  
'Til then I walk alone...

* * *

**

Note: I don't know about you, but I think that song fits…

A naginata is a long staff with a curved blade at the end, just so ya know.

Be proud of me! It didn't take me forever to write this chapter! ALL HAIL THE HARDWORKING AUTHOR!

(-reviewers die laughing-)

Okay, okay, so this may happen once in a blue moon, touchy touchy touchy. I do want to get updating faster, but who knows how the summer will agree with my writing. I will be leaving for a trip to Mexico from June 13 to June 20, so don't expect any updates then.

Has anyone seen Star Wars 3? I did on Friday night with some friends, and it was freakin' HILARIOUS! (I doubt it was meant to be that way, but it was eleven at night and we were all hyper with popcorn). If you have seen it, check out the new VG Cats comic that's a spoof off the movie. Also freakin' hilarious, and in a good way! (www. vgcats .com)

Anyways: oooh, the long awaited reunion arrives! Who knows, maybe if you review, I'll get to writing it faster (hint hint). Oh, I am _so_ subtle.

**Reviewer Responses:**

**K.T. Youko: **Gomen, but I make my chapters as long as they have to be. But I did update fast, ne?

**WhiteRabbit5:** YES! BEWARE THE PMS'ING HANYOU! Lol That would be so great! I should've made Say comment on that or something… Nope, KT Youko beat you to the first review, tho' you're usually the first one to review (which is great since I love your reviews). Maybe this time, ne? Ready… set… GO!

**FairyMage:** Well, you can download Samurai Champloo, can't ya? That's what we were doing until my brother got too lazy and just forgot to do it (cuuuurse him). I like it better in Japanese, but that's just me. Ed was one of my favorite characters! I cried on the episode where she left, then cried even more on the last one (SPIIIIIIKE!). I haven't been updating my Xanga page very much, I'm about as good at updating that as I am for updating my fic! (-sweatdrop-). I'll get better, honest! You want reviews? Don't we all? (I'll check out your fics when I have time, that I will!).

**Rayne-chan:** Such few words yet so clear your meaning was. Grammar bad I have, but funny Yoda is. Bewaaare the M&M's, unnatural they are. (don't ask, but thanks for your review!).

**OmasuOniwabanshu:** lol Yup, I think you're right about Say's mom. Everything the evil one touches just tends to squiiiiirm (that didn't sound right O.o). I finished your Sou-fic (but you probably already know that) and I just want to say how much I loved it (again). It makes me feel all fuzzy inside that an author like you takes time to read my fic!

Long author's notes danger they are. Sensing dark force coming in I am. BEWARE OF POPSICLE STICKS YOU SHOULD! RUNNING AWAY I AM!

Anakin: Review or I'll molt on you.


	19. Chapter 14: Forget

Chapter 14: Forget

Yahiko yawned widely, stretching his arms as his eyes squinted closed. He wiped the tears that had squeezed out, then mumbled, "It's getting late and I'm getting sleepy."

Kaoru grinned mischievously, "Well, it _is_ past your bedtime, right, Yahiko-chan?"

Yahiko shot a glare at her. "Shaddup, I sleep so I'm not cranky like you."

Kaoru was about to retort, but Kenshin stopped her hastily. "This one wonders if the assassin really will be back for Kyuuso-dono."

"Hmm, I don't know," Kaoru shrugged, going back to the newspaper she was reading. They all went back to what they had been doing, until each one looked up with a strangely surprised look on their face.

"Er, where _is_ Kyuuso, anyway?" Sanosuke asked the room, echoing the thoughts that were in each of the Kenshin-gumi's minds.

"What if he…" Kaoru trailed off, her eyes widening. "Oh no!" Everyone scrambled to their feet as Sanosuke slid the door open hurriedly and made his way down the walk way.

"We have to find him!" Kaoru exclaimed, still wide-eyed. "He won't stand a chance if…" She shook her head, throwing out the frightening thoughts as she ran to the gate with the others in tow. "We'll split up and search through town!" Her fists were clenched in determination as she slid the door open.

"Hello!" a little voice squeaked amiably. They all looked down to see none other than the little mouse man himself, standing outside with his usual unnerving little grin. "Are we going somewhere?" The Kenshin-gumi all sweatdropped.

"You…! You BAKA!" Kaoru roared, shaking the small man silly, dragging him inside. "WHY THE HELL DID YOU LEAVE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT?"

"I had some errands to take care of!" he squeaked miserably as Kaoru dumped him on the walkway, and he bowed humbly. "I couldn't help it!" Kaoru gritted her teeth angrily as she glared down at him. She wished more than anything that she could pound him into the ground, but knew that killing him would be pointless since they were trying to protect him. Why did she have to be such a good person?

"Sano." Kenshin's serious voice drew her out of her thoughts. "They're here." Everyone turned to the large wall which Kenshin was gazing at with piercing blue eyes. Not five seconds after he said this, a hooded figure had hopped over it and down into the yard, shouldering a large naginata.

The clouds that covered the large moon above them plunged them into temporary darkness, but when they passed a pair of bright green eyes could be seen glinting from under the hood.

"Oi, Kenshin," Sano muttered to his friend. "That one's different than the one from the other night."

"Which means that it is probably an organization that is killing these people," Kenshin replied darkly, knitting his eyebrows. He stepped forward, left hand ready on the hilt of his sakabatou as he frowned at the intruder.

"If you are here to kill Kyuuso-dono, be warned that this one will not stand idly by," Kenshin stated seriously. "Please leave now; this one would prefer to avoid conflict." The assassin didn't answer, but twirled the naginata into a fighting pose in response. "Very well," Kenshin sighed, lowering his eyes in disappointment. Why didn't anyone ever listen to him when he told them to just get lost? "Shall we begin?"

The assassin charged, striking with a wide arc to the left, forcing Kenshin to draw his sakabatou. They held their position for a while, gauging each other's strength. Kenshin gazed fiercely into his challenger's eyes.

Nothing. Just… determination.

His challenger's eyes were empty from all emotion, from all life. The green eyes stared dully back at him, with no hatred or even a bit of annoyance. All this person wanted to do was finish their task and move on.

The challenger jumped back suddenly, stabbing his pole into the ground as he landed. Kenshin arched his eyebrow, wondering why he had gotten out of his defensive position.

The assassin put his right hand up in front of his face, parallel with his body so Kenshin could still see his features as he closed his eyes in concentration.

A wave of energy washed over him, submerging him in a feeling so intense, so primitive that it shocked Kenshin into stepping back, his whole body tensing as he clenched his teeth. The fear that was coursing through him was foreign to him; he had never experienced anything like it, even during the Bakumatsu. It was as if the feeling had been implanted into him, as if it was something that was beyond his ability to control and was part of his very being.

As if it was gripping him so harshly simply because he was human.

"Sano… what's wrong with Kenshin?" Kaoru asked, worry coating her voice. "He looks… scared." Sano didn't answer, gritting his teeth as he stared at Kenshin and the challenger with wide eyes.

Something was wrong. Very wrong. He could sense it too, as if it was almost tangible. Something in the air was pushing its way towards him, and it made his stomach knot and his insides squirm with an unknown feeling.

Kaoru gasped, her indigo eyes widening with shock as tears formed in them, watching Kenshin fall to the ground after a flurry of swings.

"Kenshin!" she yelled, clutching her hands together as she attempted to run forward. She was stopped by a large hand on her shoulder, however, and looked up to see that it was Sanosuke's. His face was set, his usually bright eyes now grim as they gazed at the assassin. Without a word he stepped off the walkway and made his way to Kenshin, avoiding the assassin, who had his head bowed, blocking his face from view.

"Kenshin, you okay?" Sano asked as he leaned down to his friend, who was kneeling on the ground, leaning heavily on the sakabatou that was stuck into the ground. Kenshin looked up at him, breathing heavily, with blue eyes that stared back at him perplexedly.

"This one has--has never felt such an aura," Kenshin said slowly as he looked back down at the ground. "It was…indescribable."

"Yeah, I think I know what you mean," Sano said, looking at the back of the assassin. "I felt something too." Kenshin continued to breathe with effort as he stood up, clutching his side where he had been hit.

"There's something very wrong with this challenger," Kenshin frowned. "All this one can pick up from him is determination. Nothing more, not even blood-lust or regret."

Sano put his hand on the rurouni's shoulder, not shifting his gaze from the assassin, "Kenshin, let me take care of this guy. I can't sense battle aura as well as you can, so it'll be least likely to affect me as much."

"He's still very skilled, Sano," Kenshin said, also gazing at the assassin. "This one doubts it would be a very easy fight even without aura."

"It's okay, Kenshin," Sano grinned easily. "I'll think of something." Kenshin gave a small sigh, then nodded at his friend.

"All right, Sano, this one will leave this to you for now." He walked away, also avoiding the assassin as he made his way to where Kaoru was waiting anxiously.

"Oi! You're fighting me now!" Sano announced boldly, pounding his fist into his palm. The assassin flinched, but turned to face Sanosuke anyway.

Jade green eyes widened as a line of blood appeared on his right cheek as part of the hood fell away.

"Heh," Sanosuke grinned haughtily, "It seems Kenshin got in more hits than he thought." He dug his feet into the ground, bracing himself. "Well, since I'm now the challenger, I guess I'll attack first."

He charged quickly, drawing his fist back in preparation for the first strike. He swung it down on the assassin, but it was aptly blocked by the staff of the naginata. Sano made a sort of grunt as he pulled back his left fist, also bringing it down towards the assassin's head. The assassin dodged quickly, then dodged again as Sano attempted to strike again. He kept blocking and dodging the heavy blows Sanosuke was raining down on him, but never once tried to go into the offensive.

Sano jumped back, breathing heavily as he frowned. The assassin stood still, yet even in soft moonlight Sanosuke could see him shaking. He glanced up at Sanosuke, meeting his eyes just for a split second.

Sanosuke didn't need to be a master at reading emotions like Kenshin, he knew despair when he saw it.

The naginata clattered to the ground as the assassin dropped it, pulling a shaky hand up to cradle his forehead.

_I can't… I can't let this through…_

_I have to control this pain for now…_

_I… have to be strong…_

_I…_

Long waves of soft brown cascaded down as the torn hood finally gave way, framing the face that was covered with trembling fingers. She felt the fear in her swell to enormous pressure, making her chest feel like it was going to burst open to relieve it.

"…_Kyouri_…?" she heard him gasp. What was that in his voice? Disbelief? Horror? Hatred?

She looked through the fingers that were sheltering her from his gaze, just one jade eye managed to take in his face.

Horror.

There was horror in his face. Horror that she would be doing this. Horror that she would be killing people.

_"I can't believe… that I ever loved a monster like you…"_

Everything stopped. The buzzing in her mind suddenly calmed down as her ragged breath evened out. She was no longer shaking, and her tense muscles relaxed as she let out a long breath.

_This doesn't change anything._

She remembered the vow she had made to herself before she entered the dojo.

That look of horror proved it. Sanosuke would never accept her for what she had become and what she was.

She stood up, her relaxed body gliding upwards with as little effort possible as she held onto the naginata. She looked at Sanosuke, meeting his gaze unflinchingly as she let herself enter an almost dreamlike state.

_Nothing matters anymore. The only goal I have now is to kill Gesshimoku Kyuuso._

She lunged forward fluidly, attacking him with brutal and well executed strikes that came after weeks of training with Say. He attempted to block most of them, but he was losing ground, and she could sense that.

He wouldn't last much longer.

Soon she could finish off this assignment and go back…

…back…

…home…

She had stopped, she realized, and looked up to see that she had him pinned. The blade of her naginata was centimeters away from his throat, hovering dangerously close as he gazed down at her with intense brown eyes.

"What's wrong?" he asked angrily. "Aren't you gonna kill me?"

_Kill you…? Should I?_

_You're in the way, and what's one more life?_

It would be so easy. He was right there. All she had to do was…

_"You're my friend…"_

_"You don't have to… Captain Sagara will talk to him and you can stay here."_

_"You've been running for the past ten years to keep away from him so you could control your own life, but even if he's not here physically he's still managing to do that! If you really want to take control of your own life, then do what you want, when you want, without worrying about that bastard!"_

_"I won't leave without telling you. I promise."_

She looked up at him, meeting his eyes once again. The same honey brown eyes that had gazed at her reassuringly as she cried, that had tears in them as she said goodbye, that had forced her to realize that there was more to life than living, that had gazed down at her gently while he made the promise that would stay with her for the rest of her life.

/--/

This was… Sanosuke.

/--/

She couldn't kill this man.

Her gaze fell, looking anywhere but at his eyes. Anywhere but at him. Anywhere but at Sanosuke.

/--/

That's when she saw him.

/--/

So many things happened in a split second that Kyouri found herself on autopilot. Suddenly, it wasn't her hearing Kaoru's piercing scream, it wasn't her striking Sanosuke with the staff of the naginata so he was knocked to the ground, it wasn't her stepping back as she heard them crack through the night, echoing around the yard and muffling the sounds of the trees or of the people around her.

It was as if the gunshots suddenly deafened her.

He felt numb, turning his gaze towards her just as the realization that someone had shot a gun dawned on him.

Everything seemed so much quieter after the sudden explosion of sound.

He saw her look down, saw the surprise in her eyes as she touched her chest gingerly. He watched as she gazed at her crimson covered hands, smiling weakly with disbelief.

She looked down at him, then pulled the scarf around her mouth off slowly, letting it fall to the ground behind her.

The words that she said next were louder than anything he had ever heard before, even though she only whispered them faintly.

"Sano… I'm so sorry…"

She collapsed suddenly, crumpling under the extreme weight of the thick black robes around her. He looked at her with uncertainty, as if unsure why she was on the ground, her long brown hair covered in dirt as blood spread around her, even though he knew exactly what had happened.

"I… I did it…"

A shaky voice snapped him out of his half-conscious state. He looked up, eyes still wide, at the small man that was standing by Kyouri's feet.

"I killed her…" The man seemed to be squeaking, sucking in air around him in such a strange manner that it took Sanosuke a second to comprehend that he was laughing.

"I killed her!" he exclaimed proudly. "I DID IT!"

Sanosuke was up in a flash, glaring down at the pathetic little man that was still laughing insanely. He grabbed him by the collar, lifting him roughly as he made gagging noises.

"No one…" Sano growled as anger burned in him. "No one interferes with my fights." The small man squirmed as he attempted to pull his clothes out of Sanosuke's grip, begging for forgiveness, although the manic grin was still on his face.

Sano threw him to the ground, towering over him as he clenched his fist threateningly, "_Get the hell out of here before I pound you an inch from death_," he growled through clenched teeth. The little man cringed, jumping as if suddenly burned, and bolted out of the dojo, fleeing into the night and rejoicing in life.

Kenshin, Kaoru, and Yahiko walked cautiously to Sanosuke, who was looking down at Kyouri with his back towards them, "aku" fluttering slightly in the soft breeze.

"Sanosuke…?" Kaoru asked hesitantly. He didn't answer, and she cast a look of anxiousness at Kenshin. "What do we do?" she asked Kenshin in a hushed voice.

"Yahiko," Sano said, without turning. "Go get Megumi." Yahiko glanced at Kenshin, who nodded, then began running to the door after casting a last look at Sanosuke and Kyouri's body.

Sanosuke leaned down, resting on his haunches before reaching down and picking Kyouri up, her blood dying his sleeves and chest red.

"Kaoru, get a futon ready," he said. Kaoru nodded, and ran inside hurriedly.

"Sano…" was all Kenshin could say. Sano didn't answer, but made his way inside, following Kaoru.

_Kyouri… what is going on?_

_

* * *

_

Note: Fairy Mage pointed out to me that Kenshin has purple eyes. Weeeelll, this fic is based mostly off the manga, and in the manga he has blue eyes, and I'm just picky that way, soo…

Kyuuso is sooo creepy. How the hell did that happen?

Woot! I got to finish this chapter before the Mexico trip, which is good for all you people, but is kind of bad since I left it in a cliffhanger and it'll take me a while to get the next chapter down. Please be patient, I'm doing the best I can!

I kind of liked this chapter. This is the part of the story that I copied from my last version of this fic (the last version was so weird, you have no idea). But if you think this chapter was dramatic, wait and see what's gonna happen next (heh heh).

**Reviewer Responses:**

**K.T. Youko:** Yeah, I can see why you would feel sorry for Obi-wan. Anakin's just an idiot, so it's hard to feel sorry for him (I started laughing when he was all "nooOoOoOoOoo!"). Eh, gomen, but there are sad scenes in this chapter and plenty more to come!

**Fairy Mage:** Okay, so now you can hail Sano (-hails Sano, then glomps him-). As Sano would put it, they're not coincidences, dammit! It's FATE! Nah, I start to cringe sometimes with the dubbed versions (IT BURNS US!). I wouldn't worry about not keeping up with me, you're pretty fast yourself (oh yah, "ready tomorrow" is it?).

**OmasuOniwabanshu:** (-glomps Omasu-) T-T My OC's aren't fungus! YAY! Guess what! Your fic inspired me and now I think I may do a Sou-kun fic! Maybe, depends if I can come up with a good enough story line that's not too corny. (-grin!-)

**WhiteRabbit5:** That letter will come up later, he didn't notice those comments since he was too busy freaking out about the fact that Kyouri was, in fact, not in China (poor guy must've felt so dejected). If Kyuuso was flirting with Kaoru, then Kenshin would've switched into Battousai mode and KO'd the little creep. Sorry I made him into such a maniac, but I didn't like him at ALL (people like that annoy me, he reminds me of Peter Pettigrew from HP -bleh-). Oh, yah, I should change that summary, ne? I was just trying to get more people to read my fic (I'm ALWAYS trying to do that), though I dont' think it worked so well. Any suggestions? Well, this is my out-of-school gift to you, a quick update! (-confetti!-). (I doubt I would've tried so hard if it wasn't for your review).

**Rayne-chan:** Yes, I have issues. How else would I be able to write this fic? Well, glad you liked it, de gozaru!


	20. Chapter 15: Never

Chapter 15: Never

* * *

"Here," Kaoru said as she lay down a tray full of cups of tea on the walkway. "Everyone drink up!" She tried to sound cheerful, but the heavy atmosphere quickly put out her strained happiness as the Kenshin-gumi silently took the cups of tea. Only the sounds of the cloud-darkened night were heard over the sound of drinking.

The screen door behind them slid open, revealing a worn Megumi. No one said anything as she sat down and made herself comfortable, taking a cup of tea and sipping it silently.

"Well?" Sano asked impatiently, irritated by the mounting tension. Megumi sighed heavily, then put her cup on her lap, giving it a forlorn look as she refused to look Sanosuke in the eye.

"I was able to get all of the bullets out of her body," she began, focusing on the reflection of herself in the murky green water. "They were all in her abdomen and chest, and two of them damaged her lungs and one damaged her kidney." She closed her eyes, knitting her eyebrows together. "There is internal bleeding that I cannot stop. I'm not sure how long she'll last, but it won't be more than tonight." A thick layer of realization smothered them as the severity of her words sunk in.

Kyouri was going to die.

"Megumi-dono," Kenshin said faintly. "Is there nothing you can do?"

"Even if I was at the clinic, with more resources, there would be nothing I could do. All I am able to do now is numb the pain." Megumi spoke in an emotionless doctor's voice, but hung her head sadly. "I'm sorry."

She reached into her sleeve and pulled something out, then held it out for Sanosuke. "Here," she said, her dark brown eyes giving him a melancholy look. He didn't answer, but reached out and let whatever was in her hand drop into his own.

He looked into his palm, seeing dark pieces of what seemed to have been a round stone.

"It was her necklace," Megumi said, this time her voice filled with sadness, "It was able to deflect one of the bullets. If not for that, her death would've been instant."

It couldn't be her necklace; he remembered what it looked like. It had been a deep red, sparkling with gold in the sunlight as he had held it in his hands so long ago. These pieces of rock were brown, almost black, completely lifeless.

"She's going to die," he stated to no one in particular, already aware of the answer. Megumi nodded as Kaoru held back a sob and Kenshin and Yahiko gazed at the ground dejectedly.

Sanosuke stood up, then walked into the room without a word. No one tried to stop him, no one tried to console him.

Only Kyouri could comfort him at that time, and she was lying unconscious in a futon behind them.

* * *

"I don't get it," he muttered angrily, slouching down in a corner of the room, "Damn it, Kyouri, help me out here."

He gazed at her motionless form before him, as if expecting her to open her jade green eyes all of a sudden and get up to explain everything to him.

Explain why she had left him, why she had lied to him, and why she had tried to hurt him.

And to explain why she had saved him.

He shifted forward, so that he was closer to her. He could still smell her usual smell, bringing back bittersweet memories that caused him pain and happiness. Her soft brown hair was strewn over the futon, glinting even now in the soft light of the lantern in the corner of the room. He could barely make out her slow breaths, her pale lips parted and face almost white with the loss of blood.

He clenched his fist tightly around the pieces of stone, hanging his head as tears spotted the ground beneath him.

* * *

"He still hasn't come out?" Megumi asked, walking up to the group sitting lamely in the practice hall, Kaoru and Yahiko dressed for training but neither doing anything. Kenshin shook his head forlornly, referring to Sanosuke, who had refused to leave Kyouri's room until she passed away.

"He didn't even eat anything we brought from the Akabeko," Kaoru sighed dejectedly. "He hasn't moved since last night."

"Megumi-dono, just how much longer does she have?" Kenshin asked.

Megumi sighed and shook her head, "Honestly, I have no idea. It's a wonder that she's survived so long." She looked outside and noted the setting sun. "But whatever's been holding her to this world is bound to break soon."

* * *

_I'm floating…_

There was nothing but darkness, her brown hair fluttering around her as she barely acknowledged her presence.

_Am I dying?_

She couldn't move her body, her fingers, her eyes; it was as if every part of her being, except for her mind, had been paralyzed.

_I wonder where I'll go._

She recalled the angry faces of her victims, all glaring at her from across the Sanzu River (a.k.a. River Styx), waiting for her so they could drag her soul down to hell.

_That's right, I'll be going there…_

Hell couldn't be so bad. How worse could it be than her living hell on earth?

Already on Earth she had experienced the loss of the one man she loved, but at least now she could pass on to the other world knowing he was still alive.

Even as these thoughts crossed her mind, she noted the heavy feeling that was starting to spread from her stomach. It felt as if lead had been pumped into her and was now part of her blood, making its way to every inch of her body. She could feel it as it slowly traveled upwards, as it finally reached her head.

She took in a deep breath, and plummeted to the ground.

* * *

Bright green eyes snapped open suddenly, a deep breath entering the body as sweat formed on the forehead. They attempted to focus on whatever was ahead, and soon they could make out an off-white ceiling.

She lay there, taking in soft but panicked breaths as color returned to her cheeks and feeling to her numb body.

After a few minutes of lying there, barely becoming aware of herself, she sat up, reaching up gingerly to touch her face with her fingertips.

_I'm… alive?_

She looked up, studying the room in front of her, feeling the futon with her other hand as her heart pounded in her chest.

She was in the dojo.

And that meant he was somewhere nearby.

She clenched her fist and shut her eyes.

She had to get out. Now.

She stood up suddenly, ignoring the lightheaded feeling that came with the rush of blood to her head, as she vaguely realized the door was to her right. She went to open it, when a voice stopped her.

"Running away again, Kyouri?"

A trickle of sweat ran down her face as her hand began to shake. She looked back slowly to see a pair of golden brown eyes glinting in the half light.

He stood up, suppressing the disbelief that had consumed him ever since he watched her open her eyes.

She was alive.

"You should lie down," he said, his voice blank to mask the storm of emotions within him. "You're still recuperating."

She was silent, her hand still poised to open the door as she stared at him with wide green eyes. After a few minutes she closed them slowly, having had her fill of his presence and acknowledging her situation.

"I'm leaving," she stated, and without another word she flung the door open and stepped out. The sun had set only a while ago, seeing as the sky and scattered clouds were still tinted with gold and red. She clenched her fist, setting herself to leave this heartache once and for all.

"Where to?" Sanosuke asked, stepping up behind her.

"Back," she simply answered. She shot a sharp look at him, "Don't try to stop me."

He stared back at her sternly, clenching his fists as well, "At least explain to me why this is happening."

"That would be a waste of my breath."

"Why are you doing this?"

"You wouldn't understand."

"I would if you would tell me."

"You have never understood."

"I have always understood you!" he exclaimed as emotion mounted within him.

"Don't be so pretentious!" she shot back.

"We've known each other since we were kids! We were always able to talk! Why not now!"

She was silent, gazing at him with her vivid green eyes, "You have never known me."

He took in a deep breath, loosening his grip as he knit his eyebrows, "What is that supposed to mean?"

"The person you thought you knew never existed," she continued. "It's time for you to let go."

"Is that why you left me?" The question lingered in the air, unexpected by either of them, even Sanosuke.

She clenched her teeth, suppressing everything within her, "I left you because it was necessary."

"Necessary to take up a job as a killer?"

"Necessary to--!" She stopped herself, unwilling to let him know that everything she had been doing was for him.

"Sanosuke?" a surprised voice said. "_Kyouri?_" The rest of the Kenshin-gumi was standing before them, all staring at the couple with wide eyes.

"You're… you're alive!" Kaoru exclaimed happily, tears welling in her eyes. Kenshin and Megumi were smiling as well, though a look of disbelief was visible under their happiness. Yahiko was looking at Kyouri with a baffled expression, his disbelief more visible than his happiness.

All their looks of relief, all of their delight at her being alive… it hurt her heart as much as Sanosuke's questions.

She looked away from them, looked away from her friends' faces so they wouldn't notice the sadness in her own.

"I already said I was leaving," Kyouri said, turning away from them. She glanced at the group, "Don't try to stop me." She jumped down to the ground, then put on her shoes. Sano scowled angrily, then went into her room. A second later he emerged, the large naginata in his hands.

"Aren't you forgetting your weapon, _assassin_?" he spat, throwing it at Kyouri. She caught it with one hand, refusing to look at his angry face.

"Thank you, Sagara-san," she responded flatly.

"At least answer me one question before you leave," Sanosuke growled as she turned. "Why did you save me?" She stopped, knowing the answer was simple enough that she could utter it in a few words, but did not dare open her mouth for fear of letting those words slip out.

_Because I love you._

She began to walk forward again, ignoring his request.

"Hey!" Sanosuke exclaimed angrily. "I said answer me!" She didn't, but kept heading to the gate. "KYOURI!" He ran forward and grabbed her wrist. Her reflexes kicked in automatically, and she spun around and kicked him squarely in the chest.

He flew back and hit the walkway with a nasty thud, slumping down so he had to support himself on a beam as he breathed with a pained expression.

Her eyes widened as her body began to shake. Why had she hurt him?

"Is--is that how this is?" Sanosuke groaned as he struggled to stand up straight. "Everything you ever said to me was a lie? The person I thought you were never existed? Are you really this killer?" She didn't answer, but attempted to swallow the large lump in her throat.

"Never try to attack a trained assassin from behind," a voice suddenly said. "Unless you want to die or experience pain, as you just did." Everyone's gaze shifted to the yard behind Kyouri as she continued to stare forward, already knowing to whom the voice belonged. She turned slowly, facing a young woman who was cloaked in a white cloth wrapped around her head and shoulders.

Kenshin stared at the young woman that had appeared so suddenly, dressed in such exotic garb--what looked like a tunic and sandals that tied all the way up to her shins--wondering where she came from. Not only that, but why he hadn't been able to sense her until now?

"What are you doing here, Say?" Kyouri asked, frowning at the girl.

"I'm here to fetch you, of course," Say responded, her eyes, her only visible feature, narrowing.

"I would've come back on my own," Kyouri growled. "Wasting time to get me was completely unnecessary."

"Forgive me," Say replied, sarcasm coating her voice, "But they were direct orders from Father."

"What?"

"Finish Kyouri's assignment and bring her back--that's my mission for tonight."

"You finished my assignment?" Kyouri asked, furrowing her brow.

"The old man wasn't that difficult to track down," Say shrugged. "I found him buying a ticket for a boat headed for the continent."

Kenshin tightened his grip on the hilt of his sakabatou as he felt air around him tense.

"Fine," Kyouri stated. "I'm ready to leave, lead the way." Say didn't move, giving Kyouri a strange look from under her cloak.

"I didn't tell you the last part of my mission," Say said dully. Kyouri arched an eyebrow as Say continued, "It was to punish Kyouri for her disobedience and incompetence."

This time it was Kyouri who felt herself tense, "_What_?"

"He wants me to kill the master and student of this dojo," Say finished.

"Like hell you will!" Sanosuke exclaimed, jumping forward and drawing back his fist. He was stopped, however, as Kyouri outstretched her arm in front of him. He looked at her face, and saw an expression of pure conviction in her eyes.

"_Over my dead body,_" she hissed at Say.

"Don't say things like that," Say replied languidly, reaching up and putting her hand on the hilt of a sword strapped to her back. "I'd hate for them to come true."

* * *

Note: I'm not that sad that Kyuuso died, he ticked me off. I honestly didn't expect him to come out so… freaky.

So Say and Kyouri have to fight now, and… yeah… I'm not gonna say anything for fear of giving anything away (-clamps mouth shut-). I hope Kyouri's "revival" wasn't too sudden or anything, and I wonder if you're all confused. Don't worry, tho', as it will all be explained in due time. For those of you who have seen/read InuYasha, you should already know the reason (-wink wink-).

I have a very happy announcement, so I'm putting it in bold!

**I've updated my other RuroKen fic! Yup, that's right, I have another RK fic! The only thing is that it's about Enishi and an OC (I -heart- OC's), and it's set after the Jinchuu ark (for those of you who haven't read it, sucks for you!). Also, Sanosuke's not in it, since he's gallivanting around Mongolia or something at that time (-sadness-). Still, I kinda like that fic, and I'd appreciate it much if you would check it out! If you at least partially enjoy this fic, I don't see why you wouldn't enjoy my other fic!**

You guys may be wondering why I wasted time putting such a petty fact in bold (I updated, whoo hoo -twirls finger-), but it really is a big deal since that fic hadn't been updated since FOREVER!

So, ya, I have no shame and happily patronize my fics every chance I get.

**Reviewer Responses:**

**WhiteRabbit5:** Yah, maybe the Sano Kenshin switch was a little lame, but I couldn't think of anything else (gomen). Of COURSE I read HP! JULY 16! WOOT! Well, I think Kenshin would at least be a little peeved if someone was flirting with Kaoru, even if he would hide it. And, yes, I am very lucky to have reviewers like you guys (-hugs!-).

**FairyMage:** I absolutely loathe the english translations, and prefer to ignore the anime most of the time since I don't have the resources to watch it with subtitles. I prefer manga, anyway, though that may be considered blasphemy to many (tho' I have to admit some shows are waaay better as anime and should never become manga). Gomen, this may be considered out of place in this fic, but what did you think of my Enishi fic? You didn't leave any remarks at all, and I was kind of put out… Oh well! (-huggles FairyMage anyway-).

**KT Kyouko:** Hoh hoh hoh, you don't want to eat me! Why eat me when you can have this delicious hamster? (-throws Hamtaro in hopes you chase after him and forget about sessha-). Yes, blue eyes are better and much more prettier on Ken-san (-snuggles Ken-san-).

**Rayne-chan:** And da chapter ends for today! (-bows-)

**OmasuOniwabanshu:** I think I may forget to explain this later in the fic, so I may as well do it now since you're the only one that asked. I guess Kyouri did overpower Kenshin with her aura, and I tried to make it seem like more of a human instinct type thing to be scared. I mean, aren't all human's scared of demons? (well, at least the normal ones?). Oh well, it was mostly me trying to find an excuse for Kyouri to fight Sano (-shrug-). Ugh, good luck with the writer's block. My condolences (-nod nod-).

**Kumori-hime:** And welcome to a new reviewer! I already told you all I needed to say (like that you're crazy), and I hope you've gotten to the kiss kiss part (-wink-).

I HAVE OVER 100 REVIEWS NOW! HAPPY MEEEEEE!

As insignificant as this achievement may seem to all of you well established authors, I'm practically floating on air!

LEAVE ME MORE! XD

Oh, and my trip to Mexico was so kick ass. Check out my blog (now set up as my homepage on my profile) if you want to know more about it, or if you're just really bored and have nothing better to waste your time on. (-grin!-)


	21. Chapter 16: Do They Know?

Chapter 16: Do they know?

Why was it that even though he was standing right beside her, he still felt so far away? All that had happened, everything she had said to him only confused him more. He didn't understand why she was doing what she was doing, or why she was running away.

He wanted to help her so badly, but knew it was hopeless as long as she refused to let him enter the dark world she had immersed herself in.

-

She charged forward, spinning the staff in her hands expertly and swinging it down as she approached Say. It was easily blocked by Say's large sword, however, and they both pushed off each other to land several feet away from their opponent.

"You don't have to do this," Kyouri growled, attempting to reason Say out of the fight.

"Pfft, you really are a naïve little kitty, aren't you?" Say laughed, resting her large Mediterranean sword on her shoulder. Her eyes darkened. "I can _never_ disobey Father."

They charged once again, and, after a flurry of swings, Kyouri landed with a grunt as Say landed gracefully on the ground. A few drops of blood stained the ground under Kyouri, but Say seemed unharmed.

"Why are you holding back?" Say hissed as she clenched the hilt of her sword angrily. "Don't toy with me, dammit!" But just as she said these words a thin line cut its way across her cloak, causing it to fall apart and drop to the ground around her.

Say frowned at the cloak that was now in a heap at her feet, then glared at Kyouri. "That was unnecessary." The Kenshin-gumi looked on anxiously, watching the fight with wide eyes. "You just shredded my favorite cloak!"

"Serves you right for wearing it to a fight," Kyouri snorted with a smirk.

"It was a gift! Dammit, Kyouri, I got that for my birthday!"

"Stop complaining! That thing was out of style, anyway."

"Compared to what! _Your_ hooker clothes!"Kyouri narrowed her eyes at Say, obviously thinking that was a low blow. Say, however, just stuck out her tongue at her cousin.

"What are they _doing_?" Kaoru mumbled, dumbfounded at the two girls' strange behavior. "It's as if they're sisters or something."

"Let's finish this," Kyouri grimaced, returning to a fighting pose.

"Well, if you're so insistent to end this little fight," Say grinned, flipping her sword so the tip was pointed at the ground. "Then let's not waste any time, shall we?" She let the sword fall to the ground, so that it was sticking straight up. With her hand on the hilt, Say muttered a few words under her breath, grinning wickedly at Kyouri the whole time. After a moment, she took the sword out of the ground with a smug expression on her face. "I don't believe I've shown you this little trick yet, have I?"

A few seconds afterward, Say's ominous words still echoing through the courtyard, the ground began to shift and churn, as if it had come alive.

"Wh-what's going on?" Yahiko faltered, panic in his voice evident. The rest of the Kenshin-gumi looked on in awe as large bulges appeared. They quickly grew as the sand and dirt continued to shift, and soon took on human-like characteristics.

After only moments, Say was surrounded by a small army of look-alikes, all wielding their own swords and all made of sand.

"WHAT THE FUCK!" Sano yelled, voicing the feelings of all the Kenshin-gumi (although they chose to be more subdued about it). "What the hell _are_ those!"

"Sand clones," Say said simply, not shifting her gaze from Kyouri. With a smirk, she issued a single command, "Attack."

The sand clones swarmed towards Kyouri, large swords pointed straight at her as she braced herself for the onslaught. They all attacked at once, from all sides, and Kyouri found herself swinging her shaft around wildly in an attempt to keep them at bay. But as soon as she decapitated or pierced them, they quickly regenerated their lost limbs and kept up their attack.

"Come on, Kyouri, just give it up," Say said with a slight grin. "They'll never stop. Unless, of course, I die, but until then I can always make more."

Kyouri used a spare second to shoot her cousin an angry look, then with swift motions made herself an opening. She shot out of the brawl and appeared a split second later with her blade pointing straight at Say's throat.

"Call them off," she demanded, panting from the exertion.

"Or what?" Say challenged, amber eyes narrowing dangerously.

"Or I'll kill you."

"In front of your friends?" Say smirked. Kyouri gave a small jolt of surprise, then glanced at her friends still standing on the walkway of the dojo. They were all looking incredulously, waiting to see what she would do next.

"Mistake," Say hissed. With the hilt of her sword, Say knocked Kyouri's staff out of her hand and kicked her back. The clones, which had been waiting eagerly, jumped at Kyouri in one large mass of earth. She felt completely helpless, trapped in a raging sea of sand, as she was knocked around violently. She felt the ground beneath her sinking, and only managed to give a cry of shock and pain as the ground completely swallowed her, the clones blending together to coat the top of the ground.

Silence as the Kenshin-gumi realized what had just happened. The area where Kyouri had been fighting for her life seconds ago was still and peaceful, seemingly ignorant to the dark magic that had caged a live girl within.

"Kyouri…" Sano muttered, brown eyes wide with horror. He turned to Say, feeling a surge of anger flow through him. "You… You BITCH!" he yelled, charging towards the demoness. Before he managed to reach her, however, she spun around and slammed her sandaled foot into his face, sending him staggering backwards towards his friends, who had come forward, prepared to defend the ex-street fighter.

"You… you _killed_ her…" Sano shook with anger as he wiped the blood off his throbbing face, glaring at Say with intense bronze eyes. A break in the parting clouds above them let the silver moonlight filter through, allowing him to see the solemn expression in Say's amber eyes.

"Don't be stupid," she spat angrily, "If I did _that_, she wouldn't be the only one to be killed. In fact, I'd probably meet a worse fate than her."

"Then…" Sano's eyes widened as Say tapped her foot on the ground twice. Another swell of earth appeared to their left, and Kyouri appeared.

She coughed out sand, her eyes squeezed shut and full of small grains of dirt. She tried to move, but realized she couldn't. The ground was still wrapped around her, even if she was above it, making it look as though she had been crucified, both arms straight out to the sides and her legs locked together.

"Kyouri!" Sano exclaimed in surprise just as she managed to force her eyes open.

"Wha…? Sano?" she mumbled, her eyes focusing on the people in front of her. Her head was throbbing, and she was struggling to recall what had happened.

"Let her go!" Sano yelled at Say, clenching his fist in front of him.

"No can do," Say replied simply, lowering her eyelids at him in an exasperated expression. "I still have a job to finish, and I can't let her get in the way."

"Like hell!" he yelled, drawing his fist back. She prepared to block him once again, but he was suddenly much faster than before. She was sent flying backwards as his fist collided with her face. She landed roughly, her sword lying on the ground where she had been standing moments ago.

"You're gonna regret that, _human_," Say growled, getting up.

"Say, stop it!" Kyouri yelled, hoping to stop her cousin from impaling Sanosuke with her talons.

"Let her come, Kyouri," Sano grinned haughtily, cracking his knuckles, "I can take this bitch. We'll see who's human once I'm through with you."

Say gave him a bemused expression, then threw her head back and laughed, "You know, you'd think that by the way he talks he'd never heard of a demon before."

A cold chill went up Kenshin's spine, and he quickly said to Sano, "Don't do anything stupid, Sano… Something is very wrong here."

"You're not taking her seriously, are you?" Sano smirked. "She thinks she's all that, calling herself a demon, but I've spent ten years in the hell of the Tokyo underworld."

"Kyouri, what is going on?" Say asked, quirking an eyebrow at her. Kyouri was avoiding Say's eyes, however, and was gazing stubbornly at the ground with a cloudy expression.

Realization dawned on Say, and she did a double take. "You mean… you haven't _told_ them?"

"Say, please," Kyouri whispered so only Say could hear, "Don't say anything."

"Dammit, I have no idea what's going on, but I swear I'm gonna pound your ass into the ground if you don't let Kyouri go!" Sano yelled angrily. Say didn't answer, however, and simply gazed at him with a troubled expression.

"It's time for you to stop living in a dream world, Kyouri," Say said darkly, "It's time to wake up."

"Say!" Kyouri cried, but it was too late. Say had charged forward with the speed of a demon, and had Sanosuke by the neck with her long talons.

"Boy, listen to me," Say growled as Sanosuke stood dead still and the others around him tensed but stepped back a little. Kenshin's hand was on the hilt of his sword, ready to draw if she gave any sign of wanting to kill Sano, and Kaoru and Yahiko were both gripping their bokkens anxiously. Megumi was standing on the walkway, ready with her medicine box to treat any wounds, though she deeply hoped she wouldn't have to.

"Who the hell are you calling 'boy'?" Sano growled, glaring down at her. His eyes widened in shock as he looked into her amber eyes, realizing that instead of pupils, there were black slits glaring back at him.

"You are a boy, human, especially to one such as myself, who has lived more than fifty of your years," Say continued. "I wasn't joking when I said _I am a demoness_." There was a thick silence, so quiet that it seemed they even stopped breathing. Say shoved Sanosuke back gruffly, releasing her iron grip on his neck as he staggered backwards.

"You're… you're a _demon_?" Sano echoed, baffled.

"Now you're getting it," Say smirked. "Isn't that right, Kyouri?" She looked at Kyouri, whose head was hanging, hiding her eyes with her bangs.

"Kyouri…?" Sano asked, looking at her with wide eyes, wondering what in the hell she was doing with a demon.

"And," Say continued, though there was a tone of bitterness in her voice, "You should know that Kyouri herself is a demon as well."

It was as if someone had struck Sanosuke in the chest with a ball of iron… He couldn't seem to breathe. He was gazing at Kyouri with the same dumbfounded expression, but she refused to look at him.

_Come on, Kyouri, call her a liar, say it's not true._

_Say something, _anything_, dammit!_

"LIAR!" he yelled at Say, though not with the fortitude he thought he had, hearing his own voice waver. If she wasn't going to defend herself, then he would.

"Well, I suppose she isn't _really_ a demon," Say mused so that everyone could hear her, "Only _half_ a demon."

"If that's true," Sano growled, "Then why doesn't she look like you, _freak_?" Say was glaring at Sanosuke gravely, her eyes filled with hate for him.

"Good point," she said simply as she walked up to Kyouri. "And I think I know the answer to that question." She leaned in and spoke so only Kyouri could hear her, "You're wearing _that_ again, aren't you?" Kyouri didn't answer, her mouth clamped shut as Say gazed at her. Without a second thought, she reached down and snapped the red necklace off her neck.

"Here you go," she said, tossing it to Sanosuke. He caught it with one hand, glancing confusedly at Say before turning his attention to the object in his hand. It was Kyouri's old necklace, the same one she had worn every day he had known her. It was just as he remembered, red with flames of gold, except now it was missing a large chunk thanks to Kyuuso's gunshots.

But now, even as he watched, it slowly faded, turning a dark brown, just like the pieces of necklace he still had in his pocket.

"What…?" he muttered, knitting his eyebrows together.

"Irrelevant it is not," Say smirked bitterly, "Take a look for yourself." She took Kyouri's chin and forced her to look up, and Sanosuke found him staring into wide green eyes with long slits in the middle of them.

He dropped the necklace dumbly as he stepped back and Kyouri squeezed her eyes shut, wishing she could just disappear at that moment.

_He looked… he looked so horrified…._

Say finally let Kyouri's head drop once again. Say gazed at her, and felt a throb of pain for her friend. She brought this upon herself, for not telling them, but still…

"Don't worry, Kyouri," Say said in an almost soothing voice, watching the tears run down her young cousin's face, "I'll stop the pain now…"

She reached down and touched the ground, and once again the yard was filled with clones of sand, all of them staring blankly at the Kenshin-gumi.

"Time to die," Say whispered, and they all charged forward, preparing their large swords to kill.

Sano, Kenshin, Kaoru, and Yahiko were all in defensive stances, ready to protect themselves and the others around them, but they weren't ready to fight such large numbers of immortal fighters.

_He looked so horrified…_

_Horrified to find out what I truly was._

_I knew this would happen, I knew._

_That's why I didn't want him to know._

_"I can't believe… that I ever loved a monster like you…"_

"_No matter how good you may believe they are, they will always treat you like _vermin_."_

_Humans have always hated demons._

"Ugh!" Kaoru cried as her bokken was knocked from her hands and she narrowly missed a blow to the head.

"Kaoru!" Yahiko yelled, getting ready to jump to his teacher's defense, but was stopped as one of the clones gave him a swift kick in his unguarded gut.

"Yahiko!" Kaoru cried, dodging the swings from the other clones around her and making her way to her student.

"Sano… we can't keep this up," Kenshin said to Sanosuke as he decapitated the same clone for the umpteenth time. "They just keep coming."

"Hang in there, Kenshin," Sano replied, though he was already getting drained. "We just have to get the wench that's controlling them."

"Kenshin!" He heard Kaoru's voice call out to him, and realized both she and Yahiko had been disarmed.

"Kaoru-dono!"

_Will I let them die?_

A clone was staring down at the student and master, an expressionless face of sand gazing at them as it lifted its sword.

"_You're the one that caused their deaths_._"_

Kenshin swung his sword through it, stopping it before it was able to send the finishing blow. He barely acknowledged the oncoming clone on his left before it rammed into him, sending him into the clone he'd "killed," which in turn sent him to the ground with a brutal elbow to the back.

_I've already experienced their deaths once…_

"KENSHIN!" Kaoru yelled as the clone flipped its sword and prepared to impale the rurouni.

_I've already experienced the pain of losing them…_

"GET OUT OF MY WAY, BASTARDS!" Sanosuke yelled as he fought his way to Kenshin.

_Can I take it again?_

"NO!"

Blood splattered the ground, and silence fell as even the clones stood still.

* * *

Note: Oooh, someone's gonna hate me for this… 

I -HEART- CLIFFHANGERS! (-gets mauled by readers-)

**Reviewer Responses:**

**K.T. Youko:** Hmm, the scene where she gets up seems kind of a cliché in anime standards, but I like it so I put it in. I have a beta reader now, so she's the one that checks for mah typos! That'll explain why I haven't had very many recently! (-grin!-)

**Rayne-chan:** lol When will I not continue?

**FairyMage:** Sano kind of got some action here! He did punch out Say, and that definitely takes something! (she was off guard, buuuut…). We're all very happy Kyuuso died, and I'm just glad I don't have to write him anymore (that was self torture to make such an annoying character). Thanks for reviewing my Enishi fic, I really appreciate it!

**Kumori-hime:** You know, now that I think of it, I guess this fic is a little Furuba influenced. Believe me when I say I didn't mean to do it that way (tho' I love Furuba). I think most traditional Japanese families are that way, so I don't think I was necessarily copying the Furuba style hierarchy. No, I haven't _seen_ Naruto, but I read the manga rabidly every time a new chapter is released. I love almost everything in manga better (especially RK!), so I really have no problem in skipping out on the anime. Also, did you hear that they're gonna pass Naruto on Cartoon Network this fall? It's gonna suck ass since they're gonna bleep it to hell (damn children who can't handle ninjas being chopped in half). Yay! You finally caught up! Tho' I gotta say I really enjoyed getting a crap load of reviews, that was fun! XD. Hope you're still reading!

**WhiteRabbit5:** Gomen, I must've disappointed you. I'm not very good at fight scenes, and I tend to try to avoid them. You'll notice I tried to skirt around giving detailed attack plans, so it wasn't as interesting as your scenes tend to be. Still, sessha tried her best! XP. Ah, thank you, I'm still really new to the C2 thing so I pretty much had no idea what I was doing. Still, I'm happy to learn and uphold my staff duties, whatever they may be!

**OmasuOniwabanshu:** (-evil cackle-) How's this for a cliffhanger? Aww, you should give Yahiko more credit. I think he knows when to keep his mouth shut sometimes, although they may be few and far between. I honestly feel bad, tho', since I don't think the rest of the RK cast is really in this fic since it mostly revolves around Kyouri and Sano. I'd really like to involve them more, but it's hard… lol You know, you really get a lot of the little insinuations I put into this fic. I am SO glad at least someone gets this stuff right away! PLOT BUNNIES UNITE! XD

Okay, so that's the chapter for the day. I'll see if I can get the next one finished soon. I'm pretty much writing these as I go along and have no real outline for the story. That being said, shit just tends to, well, happen. Ever had a fic that kind of writes itself? Yeah, that's kind of what's going on here. Still, I'm happy! It makes it easier, anyway!

* * *

Gerard Way will have my child and you will leave a review.

* * *

P.S. I think quick edit actually left my little dash divider thingy in (does anyone know what I'm talking about?) O.O

* * *


	22. Chapter 17: So She Ran

Chapter 17: So She Ran

"Kenshin!" Kaoru yelled in anguish as he was struck across the chest. Yahiko crouched besides her, a look of horror on his face as well.

Kenshin let out a groan as he fell to his knees, his abdomen throbbing and stinging with pain. He reached down with his hand, clutching his stomach, expecting to feel the warm trickle of blood on his palm.

"Kaoru-dono…I…" he gasped, but as he looked down, he realized that the crimson fluid he had expected was absent. "I'm okay…" Kaoru's eyes widened in shock as he turned to look at her, a similar expression in his own wide blue eyes. "This one is fine." The sand clone above them was still poised in its last attack, but had stopped moving, becoming some sort of malicious statue, the sword it was holding as dull, if not duller, than the sakabatou.

Sanosuke looked back at the demonesses, wondering why the attack had suddenly stopped, and his brown eyes widened in shock at the sight before him, the sand clones around them disintegrating into piles of dirt.

"Why…why didn't you dodge?" she whispered in a trembling voice, her green eyes shining with horror on her pale face.

Say chuckled, and replied with a scoff, "The first time I've disobeyed father… now all I need to do is moon Rei to say I've lived a full life."

"You could've parried, moved to the side, anything!" Kyouri continued, furrowing her brow in frustration at Say's nonchalance. Didn't she see the large piece of glass that was shoved through her stomach? Didn't she see the river of blood flowing from it, staining her clothes and Kyouri's hands?

"Then what?" Say asked, glancing at Kyouri with a bittersweet smile. "Then I would have to kill you, right?"

"It's not fair!" Kyouri yelled angrily, tears forming in her eyes, "Why the hell did you do that! _It's not fair to make me do that_!"

Say smiled softly, closing her amber eyes, "You're right, but I'm still going to ask a favor of you, even though you should've never had to kill anyone in the first place." She opened her eyes again, giving Kyouri a look of sorrow and jubilation, regret and hop. "Take care of them for me, will you?"

"I can't…" Kyouri replied hoarsely, the tears streaming down her face as her anger ebbed away, replaced by a suffocating sadness, "That's your job, you have to take care of them, Say."

"I've never…" Say was slowly slipping, the river of blood still flowing with the same tenacity as before, her voice becoming softer still. "I've never been able to do anything for them. As the eldest, it should've been my job to keep them from hurting, but I've never been able to let them taste true happiness." She looked at Kyouri, smiling as tears also flowed down her cheek. "Maybe my death will achieve more than I have been able to in life."

"I-idiot," Kyouri frowned, shaking her head as she pulled the long dagger of glass, which she had formed from the sand prison, out of Say's body, causing Say to wince. She threw it to the ground, then said shakily, "Y-you're not going to die, you're a demon! Y-you'll recover and we'll both…we'll both kill that bastard."

"Even a demon can't recover from this, Kyouri," Say whispered, her eyes dimming. "Please, I leave this to you, even though…it's not fair…"

"Say…" Kyouri sobbed as she supported her cousin, who was now slumping down to the ground, "Don't go…you're supposed to live forever."

"Hey Kyouri…" Say whispered, her amber eyes staring straight ahead as she let death take over her. "She…she really cared for you…she never wanted to leave…she told…me…she…"

Her body went limp as her final breath escaped her parted lips.

"Say, you have to help me," Kyouri cried softly, holding Say tenderly. "I can't do this alone…Please…"

Say's body glowed for a second with an ethereal light, consuming both of them with a demonic aura that shone only in death. The light slowly faded, and Say's body suddenly disintegrated, turned into dust that flowed through Kyouri's fingers into the ground.

"Say…" Kyouri cried, clinging to a bundle of clothes and a handful of sand—all that remained of her cousin. "No…" She let her cousin's clothes fall to the ground, an overwhelming sense of helplessness overcome her. What was she supposed to do now? Was she supposed to face her uncle, when no one else, not even Say, could?

How would she face Rei?

"Kyouri?" a quiet voice asked. Her head snapped up to Sanosuke, who was standing a few feet in front of her, her eyes widening as she remembered what had happened just a few minutes ago.

The image of his face looking at her with that horror in his eyes flashed in her mind.

She shot up, stepping away from him as he took a reluctant step forward, then did the only thing she could think of.

She ran.

-

"What…what happened?" Kaoru asked in a strained voice, looking at Kenshin, who was still clutching his side tenderly. No one answered, all gazing at the ground around them instead of at each other. "Sanosuke?" she asked, looking up at the ex-street fighter. She didn't have time to decipher the clouded expression on his face, however, as he suddenly broke into a run, bolting out of the open gate down the road, tracing Kyouri's path.

-

_No, no, no no no no…_

Her mantra was thudding inside of her head, matching the rhythm of her feet pounding on the hard ground.

_No No No…_

She wouldn't go back. She wouldn't stay. She wouldn't see his face, the horrified expression in his eyes, his mouth slack with shock.

She wouldn't go back to Him. She wouldn't be the one to tell her cousin that Say had…

_No._

She would keep going. The monstrous blood flowing within her veins would fuel her legs, allowing her to keep running for days. She could go wherever she wanted.

Anywhere but where she wanted to be the most.

Her eyes began to burn, her vision blurring as tears ran down her face and splattered the ground behind her as she kept moving forward, clenching fists that were caked with blood.

It would be so easy to disappear. To just erase herself from the face of the planet. Who would be left to miss her?

No one.

Her throat was clamping shut, each breath feeling like sandpaper against the back of her throat. She could hardly breath now, hardly see, hardly keep going.

She squeezed her eyes shut, blinking away the obnoxious tears as she attempted to swallow, only to find that a large egg had lodged itself in her neck somehow and she couldn't gulp or breathe through it.

Her foot hit a bump in the road, and she felt her whole body give way under her as she tripped. She just squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself for the fall but not caring enough to put her hands out to stop herself.

What difference would a little more pain make?

Heavy breaths…in out in out in out…keep yourself alive, at least until you can get away. Let the ringing in your ears die down, then pick yourself up and run.

Just run away.

_In out in out in…_

Her heart pounding and brow sweating, the loud buzzing in her head began to die down, only to reveal another noise beside her.

_In out in out…_

In and out--the sounds of her heavy breathing were accompanied by the sound of someone else's exhausted pants for air.

_In…out…_

Strong hands lifted her so she was on her feet, facing the person that had caught her and prevented her from slamming into the ground.

_No…please…don't let it be…_

She didn't want to open her eyes. Please, it couldn't be him…

"Kyouri?"

She clenched her fists, feeling anger course through her as her eyes snapped open and she glared furiously at the ground, noticing Sanosuke's feet across her own.

"Get away from me!" she yelled, pushing him away and lifting her fist to punch him, only so he could catch her wrist, stopping her. "Bastard! Let _go_!" She pulled away, but he wouldn't let go, wouldn't loosen his grip. She glared at the bandaged hand that was holding her wrist, refusing to meet his eyes.

"Kyouri!" he exclaimed. "Calm down!"

"Fuck off!" she screamed, the tears still falling, "Why the hell are you following me? Why are you here?" He struggled to keep a firm hold on her as she thrashed around furiously. She could easily knock his hand away, but she couldn't bring herself to summon enough demonic energy to do it. She couldn't bring herself to expose more of that _thing_ to him. "What the hell do you want from me!"

She lifted her other hand, hoping to punch him, but she faltered and he easily caught her wrist with his other hand.

"LET ME GO!" she shrieked, panic and fear welling within her as she squeezed her eyes shut.

"Kyouri! Look at me, dammit!" he yelled back, and she could hear the frustration in his voice.

_Hurt him, hurt him so bad he'll forget about you. Hurt him so he'll leave you alone._

"Damn _human_, get your filthy hands off me!" she spat, screwing her eyes tightly, trying to keep the tears at bay, though they still managed to squeeze through.

"I'm not letting go!" he growled in a quiet and serious voice.

"Let go, you bastard! I _hate_ you! I hate you so much! Let me go! Let me go..!"

"Calm down, dammit!"

"Don't you get it! Are you stupid or something! You're supposed to be running away from me!" It would be so easy to lash out at him with her claws. That's what they were there for, after all--to maul humans. "Don't you hate me as well!" She found herself staring at his chest, her eyes now wide open with panic. She caught herself just in time to keep them from traveling to his face. "I'm a MONSTER! I'M A FUCKING MONSTER! GET IT THROUGH YOUR THICK SKULL AND LEAVE ME THE HELL ALONE!"

"KYOURI, CALM DOWN!"

"DON'T MAKE ME KILL YOU!"

"LIKE HELL YOU WILL!" And with that he thrust his head forward, the only part of him that wasn't preoccupied in keeping Kyouri in front of him, and slammed it into her own.

She was so shocked she stopped resisting, little stars popping in her vision as a bolt of pain shot through her. She faltered, swaying slightly as she recovered from the shock and as the pain slowly died down.

"Kyouri, look at me," he said in a soft voice, apparently unfazed by the head-butt from hell. Still partially dazed, she looked forward, her jade eyes finally meeting his dark amber ones.

Fear. Fear looked back at her.

Didn't she realize it? Didn't she know where this fear came from? It came from the desire to keep her beside him. It was the fear that she would disappear once again, the fear that gave him the energy to run after her.

"Let me go…" she pleaded softly, hanging her head, tears spotting the ground beneath her, because she couldn't stand looking into eyes so much like hers.

"I can't," he whispered back, letting both of their arms drop down as he loosened the grip around her wrists.

"Why not?" she snapped back, although all the malice, all the hatred she had forced herself to feel was gone, leaving behind pained exhaustion. "You don't understand, you've never understood."

"Tell me so I can," he replied firmly, knitting his eyebrows as he ignored the trickle of blood that came from his forehead.

"You've never understood, Sanosuke," she said, looking up at him, "You've never understood that you've never known me." A trickle of red blood dripped off his nose. He had never seen her blood, had he? "You don't know me, Sanosuke, and you don't owe me anything." Her own blood was a muddy red, almost black.

This was for the best, she thought as she closed her eyes, "Let me go."

"I've never known that you were a demon," Sanosuke said, letting go of one of her wrists and wiping his face with his sleeve, ridding himself of the small trickle of blood. "I've never known that about you, Kyouri, but that doesn't mean I don't know you." He grinned weakly at her. "You're Kyouri."

She shook her head, "It's not that simple."

_We belong to different worlds._

"Why not?" he asked, resting his hand against her cheek to keep her from shaking her head anymore. She felt a chill run down her spine, remembering the tenderness of the kiss she had dreamed. "I know you, Kyouri, and I know that you're a good cook, that you work hard and that you like the quiet sound of the river at night." She felt her heart pounding as his voice gouged holes in it, drawing out bittersweet memories. "You like acting crazy and letting people know how you feel." He wiped her tears with his finger tips, brushing them away. "Kyouri loves her friends very much, and would do anything for them." He tilted her head up gently with his hand, forcing her to meet his gaze. "Just like we would do anything for her."

_Then just let me go…_

She lowered her head, smiling sadly as he waited for her response.

"She's gone," she whispered. "She died, didn't you hear? She drowned in a river of blood, and she won't be coming back this time."

This time he shook his head, frowning, "Liar, she's right here." He leaned closer to her, moving his hand to her waist and placing his cheek by hers in a soft embrace. He whispered, "She just tried to run away again. This time, though, I'm not letting her go so easily." Her heart throbbed as a tear slid down her cheek once again, only to be brushed away by his cheek.

The tears were flowing freely now, her quiet sobs ringing in the air around them.

He let her wrist go, allowing her hand to fall limply at her side.

"I won't force you to stay," he said, a note of sadness in his voice. "I'd never do that to you. I'm just asking you to come back." He stepped back and reached up, tracing the trail of her tears, gently wiping them away. "Come back, I'll wait."

He turned to leave, hoping with every fiber of his being that this wouldn't be the last time he saw her.

He thought he might have imagined it, the feeling of her hands clenching the back of his coat, holding him back, but when he heard her voice he knew he wasn't.

"I was…I was so ready to give up. Dammit, Sano, you're so draining…"

He turned around as she feebly let go of "aku," looking at her but ignoring her tired green eyes, her splotchy face and runny nose.

All he saw was her hopeful smile.

Tears were still running down her face as she struggled to keep her smile in place.

"S-still," she said hoarsely, "I…" She gulped, looking at Sanosuke with despair. "I killed her." She held herself shakily, wrapping her arms around herself, as she slumped down, the tense smile cracking. He knelt down in front of her, at a loss for words. "I-I killed her, Sano, I killed Say."

What could he do? What could he do besides pull her into his own arms, swearing to himself that he'd kill the bastard that put her through this, as she sobbed into his chest, repeating over and over that she had killed Say, that she had killed…

"I'm so sorry," she wept, "Forgive me…forgive me…"

And they stayed there, time standing still for both of them as she cried, cried out all the tears she had held back for each of her victims, for each moment of pain she had caused, and he held her, catching her tears in his white coat that bore "evil" on the back.

-

-

Note: Meow.

Okay, who feels like shoving some stilettos, a mace, and a flaming Barbie up Mr. Uncle-who-must-die's ass? I do!

Let me just say that I really loved Say, she was one of those characters that made me laugh while managing to pull heart strings. It was for the best….right…?

Ehhh, I have a feeling the next chapters are gonna take a while. There's something that's gonna be hard to get out of the way, but after that I'm gonna have a LOT of fun writing what happens next! I hope you guys don't think I've given up on any of my fanfic's, it's just that I definitely have the time, I'm just so sapped that I don't do anything.

It's frustrating as HELL and I want school to start just so I'll have something to keep myself busy with.

OMG! I'M GOING CRAZY! (-chokes herself for wishing school was starting

-)

**FairyMage:** Heh heh, ya, I just read it (I –HEART- U!). Sorry 'bout that, I haven't been keeping up with xanga much (or at all). I really should, since I have fun writing crap and reading crap (XD), but I dunno… I can see you're happy with the Sano punching-ness! I had to give Sano-chan his chance, of course, because he can't seem all wussy and stuff! That's one of my big fears: that I'll make someone seem like a constant victim or something. (-drool-) Yeah, the anime voices are so HOTT! You know what's kind of a let down, tho'? In Witch Hunter Robin Sano's voice is the voice of a butt ugly guy with sideburns and a furry jacket (if I recall correctly). I mean, he was a cool character and all, but still…

**K.T.youko:** Gomennasai, but it had to happen! Can you really see me killing off a main RuroKen character? I think not! I still feel bad for killing Say, though, because I really liked her. (-sigh-) Ah, well…

**Rayne-chan:** I think I'll ignore your threat, because the most you could do would be to throw some cyber-sushi at me (ahh, I love being anonymous). :D. Come now, do you really think I'd kill of one of the main characters? I haven't even gotten to the Kyoto arc yet!

**Angel of Mercy:** (-points and laughs-) Ha ha! (-angel leaves-) Hey! Wait! I didn't mean it! COME BACK! Oh, and, BTW, them flesh eating zombies can kiss my zanbatou. Mm-hmm (-snaps fingers-). XD (I'm not too good on the "update fast" thing, unfortunately -.-').

**OmasuOniwabanshu:** Yeahhh, maybe you're right; maybe I should let the Kenshin-gumi go on vacation (-ignores Bahamas brochures Kaoru shoves in her face-). I just don't really want them to be, you know, just _there_. I love the Kenshin-gumi and would love for them to help out with stuff. Argh, but you still have a point (-frustration-). Forgive me, and heads up 'cause I think the next chapters are gonna be a bit hairy in that department. (I do have the magic touch, for I finished Harry Potter in only one day! –POOF!-).

**Kumori-hime:** Ah, maybe I should download the anime. Hmm… nah, I read the scanlated manga, and that's good enough for me. Too bad you don't have CN! They pass really good anime a lot of the times on Adult Swim! My condolences, friend. And I'm sure _you_ already know, but I love your reviews. :D

**TessaCilory:** Might I suggest a seatbelt for your chair? I find it helps sessha a lot XD. Thanks for your review and sporadic anticipation!

I got two reviews from new people last chapter, which was a very nice surprise indeed. I LOVE YOU ALL! MWAH!

But that won't stop me from throwing cyber-sushi at you if you don't review! (-twitchy Soujiro grin-)

(The new Harry Potter book was so...-breaks out in sobs-)


	23. Chapter 18: The Calm Before the Storm

Chapter 18: The Calm Before the Storm

Silence hung over the dojo as Kaoru, Kenshin, Yahiko, and Megumi waited anxiously for the return of Sanosuke and, hopefully, Kyouri. No one spoke to each other, each mulling over the events of the past hour.

As quiet as it may have been, and as pointedly as they tried to avoid looking at each other, a sense of uneasiness was almost tangible.

"Do you…do you think…" Kaoru began uncertainly at the people around her in general, "Do you think Sano's…okay?" Whether she realized it or not, she had voiced the fears of everyone present. Still, she regretted the words as soon as they came out of her mouth. It only made the fact that she was uncertain about Kyouri more real to her and everyone else.

"Yes," Kenshin finally said after a moment of thought, "Kyouri, whether she is human or not, would never harm Sanosuke." All eyes were on him as he gazed at the pile of clothes that were still laying in the yard.

Kaoru hung her head sadly, regretting what she had said. What was she thinking? Kyouri was, and always had been, half demon, including the times she had spent with them while she stayed in the dojo. She hadn't changed, she was still Kyouri.

The creak of the wooden gate of the dojo was heard, along with somber footsteps. They all looked up as Sanosuke, followed by a quiet Kyouri, rounded the corner and stood in front of them. No one spoke as Kyouri kept a firm gaze on the dirt ground, feeling a sense of anxiety almost suffocate her.

Kyouri's thoughts had been going rampant on the way back to the dojo. She wasn't sure what to expect from her friends, and she was scared of what she would find. What expressions would they have on their faces when she returned? Would they truly be comfortable around her, or would they only be pretending for Sanosuke's sake? Kyouri did feel stronger with the tall man beside her, and she was already relieved beyond words that he had so readily accepted her.

But to lose all of her other friends…

So there she was, standing before them with a reluctant air around her, timidly looking at the ground by her feet as she awaited the verdict.

They probably felt as if they had discovered some disgusting secret, Kyouri thought, that's why they weren't talking.

Sanosuke was one thing, but everyone else…

She had to stop thinking like this. Didn't she trust them? They were her friends; they trusted her enough to open their home for her, she should at least be willing to look them in the face.

She tentatively lifted her head, glancing at the faces of the people she had seen die in her dreams, praying for the tense moment to end soon.

They were all smiling, although rather nervously, as if at a loss of what to say but not necessarily wishing they were somewhere else. Kaoru had tears in her eyes, apparently trying to blink them away, while Kenshin was gazing at Kyouri and Sanosuke with a patient smile, as if waiting for them to break the ice. Both Yahiko and Megumi were studying Kyouri curiously (although Megumi's looks were a bit more furtive), as if the events of the last hour had sparked an interest and they were hoping to quell them by taking in her appearance.

"Why do you have cat eyes?" Yahiko suddenly blurted, his curiosity getting the best of him. Everyone stared at him, then stared at Kyouri, who was in turn looking at Yahiko with a surprised expression. Yahiko only gazed back at her determinedly, completely indifferent to the anxious expressions of his friends around him.

Kyouri had been taken aback by his question, having been expecting something more along the lines of "so…how many people have you killed recently?"Kyouri finally let a small smile creep onto her face, "It's because my father was a cat demon."

"So you're a cat?" Yahiko asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yahiko!" Kaoru suddenly snapped, taking Kyouri's silence for embarrassment, putting her hands on her hips. "Don't be rude!"

"I'm not being rude, ugly!" Yahiko retorted, "I'm just asking a simple question!" His gaze shifted back to Kyouri. "Like, do you have claws?"

Kyouri laughed, "Yeah, I do."

"And special powers like that other lady?"

"Yeah, except I can control fire, not sand."

Yahiko looked thoughtful for a minute, "Do you start purring when people pet you behind the ears?"

"YAHIKO!" Kaoru exclaimed, hitting him again. "I told you not to be rude!"

"It's a simple question!"

"Perhaps that one was a bit much, Yahiko," Kenshin said with a small grin.

"Aww, come on!" Yahiko argued, "What's the big deal?"

Kaoru and Yahiko started yelling at each other once again, Kenshin finding himself dragged into the fray as they each tried to get him on their sides, while Megumi curiously examined Kyouri's old wounds, only to find that they were gone. Yahiko noticed this, and began asking more questions, which could be taken as embarrassing or perfectly reasonable, depending on if you were Kaoru or not.

"How fast can you heal?" he asked.

"Pretty fast, but not as fast as full demons."

"Why not?"

"Because, half demon means half human as well. I still have some of the human weaknesses."

"Oro?" Kenshin said. "Like what?"

Kyouri smiled at him, "I still have a human heart. I'm too weak to properly control my emotions like full demons should."

"Oh," Yahiko said, then moved on to his next question, "Do you have super hearing or super smell too?"

"Yup, like I can smell whatever it was Kaoru made for dinner…or that may be the toilet, I'm not sure."

Kaoru made an angry face at Kyouri, even though she knew the hanyou was only playing around. Her angry face suddenly relaxed, and she found herself laughing. Kyouri started laughing with her, and soon everyone had joined in.

As they laughed, however, everyone realized that Kyouri had stopped laughing and, instead, was crying.

"Kyouri-chan?" Kaoru asked tentatively, "Are you okay?"

Sano put his hand on Kyouri's shoulder reassuringly, "Kyouri? Hey, it's okay."

Tears were still pouring down Kyouri's cheeks, but soon they realized she was also smiling.

"M-my friends are s-such idiots," she said in a cracked laugh. Everyone stared at her with looks of befuddlement, feeling unsure of what to say or do. Kyouri's cries began to die down, and she wiped her face cheerfully. "If anything, I'm glad I at least got to know you guys." They all smiled warmly, and she couldn't help feeling happier than she had been in weeks.

"Thank you," she said softly, "For everything. I…" Her eyes were sad, though full of emotion and completely different than the hollow orbs that had gazed at them under the hood, "I never realized humans could be so nice."

"The way you're talking, you'd think you were on your deathbed," Sano grinned, although a trace of uncertainty could be seen in his eyes.

She looked up at him, deep green eyes now full of regret, "I'm so sorry, but I have to go." No one spoke, each feeling that it was Sano's place to retort.

"I won't let you keep running," Sanosuke stated bluntly. He knitted his eyebrows, "I already said I won't let you waste your life."

She shook her head slowly, "I know that. That's why I'm going to go back." A collective gasp was heard from the group. "I'm going to go back and fight. I'll show him he can't control me." She grinned cheerfully at all the sad faces around her, "I'm sorry, but I don't know if I'll win or survive."

The odd cheerfulness she was showing contrasted bleakly with the sadness and regret shown in her friends' faces. She smiled at them, realizing just how much she appreciated each of them.

"I'm going with you," Sano stated.

"No."

"Hey!"

"Hey what? You're not going."

"That's not up to you!"

"Oh, yes it is."

"I'm going, and that's it!"

Kyouri looked up at Sanosuke with a steady and piercing gaze, "Sanosuke, it's bad enough that I've already dragged you into this and almost got you killed. I will _not_ allow you to go and die."

"Who says I'm gonna die?" Sano replied, an equally intense look in his eyes.

"If you step foot into that manor and I fail, you will die," she replied.

"You can't be sure that you'll fail."

"This one agrees," Kenshin said, a serious expression on his face. "This one will go as well."

"Me too!" Yahiko piped.

"I want to help too, Kyouri-chan," Kaoru smiled. "I'll go too."

"I suppose a doctor will be necessary, knowing that rooster," Megumi smirked. "I'll go as well."

Kyouri looked at all her friends in panic. Kind and hopeful faces looked back at her. Why the hell didn't they understand?

"No," she said firmly once again. "No, no, no, no, you are _not_ going. That's final. End of discussion."

"You can't tell us what to do," Sanosuke replied, all seriousness etched into his face.

"I won't let you do this to yourself," Kyouri frowned, "I won't let you go."

Sano stepped closer to her, bearing down on her with fierce copper eyes, "Ten years ago you left and I didn't stop you. A month ago you left and I didn't look for you. You've been facing him all this time by yourself." He grinned fiercely, as if looking forward to punching someone. "Well, I'm not going to let you face him alone this time."

Kyouri looked up into the eyes of the person she had deserted so much in the past. "Sanosuke…" she whispered, feeling a rush of gratitude for him. He was still with her, after so much.

He was really unbelievable. What had a hanyou like her done to pick up a stubborn rooster like him?

She shook her head in disbelief, "You're such an idiot."

"Is that really any way to express gratitude?" Sano asked, frowning with annoyance.

She laughed weakly, "I can't believe you're so willing to walk into the lair of a demon." She looked at him, her green eyes glinting with emotion. "You can go, but only if you really want to."

"Kyouri-dono," Kenshin said, ignoring Sano's look of triumph as he punched his palm with a devilish grin. The rurouni's usually pleasant face was now a mask of seriousness, "Are you really planning on killing him?"

Kyouri looked steadily at Kenshin, "Yes."

Kenshin shook his head, "There must me another way. This one cannot stand by and let you go kill a man."

"Kenshin," Kyouri replied, her eyes flashing, "You're not stopping me."

"This one will if he has to," Kenshin answered stoically.

"He's not a man, Kenshin, he's a demon."

"No one deserves to die."

"Dammit, Kenshin!" Kyouri rounded on him, gripping the front of his gi and glaring at him. "You don't understand! Save your morals and code of honor for samurai and humans; for a demon, they're worthless!"

"This one is sorry, Kyouri-dono," Kenshin replied, gently taking her hands off him, "But this one can't stand idly by while one dies."

"Kenshin," Kyouri breathed, trying to regain control of herself, "Listen to me. You are a _human_. You have no idea of what I'm talking about when I say 'demon.' What you have seen tonight is nothing compared to him." She squared her shoulders and clenched her fists, looking at him fiercely.

"Death is the only way to harm a demon," she continued, "If you do not kill him, he will come back for you relentlessly until he does. If you do not kill then…then they will never be free of the bonds that hold them. Death is the only answer for one who lives forever."

Kyouri took in a deep breath, obviously shaking as she bowed her head so that her eyes were hidden in shadow. "Do you…do you really think that I wanted to kill her? Do you really think that I wanted to kill Say?" She held in the painful tears that were threatening to flow once again. "I loved Say like a sister… and I had to _kill_ her."

Her head snapped up, facing Kenshin once more with glossy eyes brimming with tears, "_That's_ the world I have lived in, _that's_ the world where I grew up." She squeezed her eyes shut, then yelled angrily, "He killed my father just so he could become this powerful! My father died to save my mother!" Black blood from her clenched fists splattered the ground. "And now I have to kill him to save the people I love!"

She breathed heavily as silence rung around them, everyone staring at her in shock.

"Kyouri," Kaoru breathed sadly, covering her mouth with her hand.

"I never wanted to kill," Kyouri whimpered, her voice cracking, "I never wanted to be a demon." She looked at her clawed hands as the wounds on her palms closed slowly, then wiped her face with her sleeve. She sighed, but then looked up determinedly, "But I am what I am. Half of me belongs to that world, and now all of me has to accept it." She looked sadly at Kenshin. "I'm sorry, but I have to kill him."

Kenshin's eyes were wide with amazement, feeling at a loss of what to say. Kyouri was looking at him imploringly, begging him to let her go.

Was it possible that a world so different really existed? He sighed, looking down at his sakabatou. Yes, it was, he knew first hand, having belonged to one ten years ago.

He nodded slowly, then added, "This one shall go with you as well." He smiled his rurouni smile, "If anything, to keep Sanosuke from getting in trouble."

Kyouri laughed shakily as one usually does after an emotional episode, then nodded as well, "Fine, you can both come."

"And us?" Yahiko piped.

Kyouri laughed and patted him on the head, "Not in a million years, kid." Yahiko was about to snap back angrily, mostly for being called a "kid," but Kaoru stopped him as she put her hand on his shoulder.

"Then we'll be waiting here for you here, Kyouri-chan," Kaoru smiled.

"Yeah," Yahiko said grudgingly, then added a bit more eagerly, "Come back so you can tell me more about your cool powers." Kyouri laughed, and nodded.

"I'll be here as well, Sanosuke," Megumi smiled coyly, "Please don't bother yourself for my sake, I have enough work as it is."

"Yeah, yeah, kitsune," Sano frowned as he shoved his hands in his pockets, "Very funny."

The doctor gave a genuine smile to Kyouri. "Good luck, Kyouri-san."

"Shall we get going then?" Kenshin smiled, as Kyouri grinned appreciatively at Megumi, speaking as if they were heading out for a lovely walk on a nice summer's day.

Kyouri nodded, then looked up at Sanosuke. He grinned bracingly back down at her. She smiled back, then, with a final goodbye to her friends, headed to the gate.

She should've been feeling burdened with the idea of two humans accompanying her into the lair of one of the most powerful demons in Japan.

Quite to the contrary, however, she felt comforted to know Sanosuke and Kenshin would at least be besides her, protecting her from the caustic words of her uncle.

-

-

"Nee-san?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you, er, _have_ to do that?"

"Eh?" She looked down at her hand, which was thumping compulsively against the hard floor of the wide porch they were resting on. She clenched the offending fist, and indignantly rested her chin on it. "What the hell is taking them so long?"

Rei was never a patient one to begin with, she knew, but Say had been gone for a few hours. She was supposed to be fetching Kyouri, and Rei didn't think it would take _that_ long to persuade the hanyou to come back.

Then again, Kyouri could be a real bitch sometimes…except, of course, that she was a cat…

A shiver ran down Rei's spine.

"Nee-san?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you feel that?"

"…Yeah." She frowned, sitting up. "Someone's at the gate."

-

-

"Okay, a few things before we begin," Kyouri stated, turning to face her companions.

"Here we go," Sano muttered, shoving his hands in his pockets impatiently.

Kyouri ignored him, however, and continued, "Do not, under any circumstances, get in my Uncle's way. That means," she said, sticking her finger in front of Sano's face, "No butting into my fight." She glanced at Kenshin, "That goes for you too, Kenshin."

"Oro?" he replied innocently.

"I mean it!" she said, firing up. "It's bad enough that I let you come with me in the first place!" Both Kenshin and Sano sighed exasperatedly. "Just don't get in the way."

"All right, all right, Kyouri-dono," Kenshin smiled, "We will behave."

"You better," Kyouri snorted, then, after a final look at the men behind her, she turned to the gate and pushed it open, walking in.

All three of them stepped into a deserted courtyard, a large western style mansion looming ahead of them.

There was no way no one noticed their entrance.

"Hello, Kyouri." A chilling voice suddenly spoke out of nowhere. Kyouri felt Sanosuke and Kenshin tense behind her, and was sure Kenshin's hand was resting on the hilt of his sakabatou, if only out of habit.

Her uncle stepped out of the shadow in front of them, smirking evilly with his eyes glinting malevolently. She shuddered inwardly, looking at those eyes full of bloodlust at the sight of the two humans behind her.

She watched the blood red eyes study her companions, growing steadily more amused as he took in their looks of determination.

"My, my, Kyouri," he smirked. "What are you doing, bringing those humans here?" Kyouri didn't answer, but simply glared at him. He laughed, "Say isn't with you, is she? Does that mean she's dead?"

Kyouri's glare deepened with disgust, "Yes."

He laughed once again, "And just _what_ do you have planned?"

Kyouri frowned. "I'm going to kill you," she growled, clenching her fist and allowing demonic energy to course from her.

"You?" he sneered. "Kill _me_?" He tilted his head back and let out a chilling laugh, then pinned her with a mocking glare. "I won't even _bother_ with a hanyou like you. Rei!" he called out, throwing his head back once again.

A second later there was a blur of light, and Rei was standing before them, gazing at Kyouri indifferently. "Yes, father?" she asked, not turning to look at the demon behind her.

"Kill the humans," he laughed wickedly, "Then kill her."

She remained silent, gazing at Kyouri with her electric blue eyes. Kyouri returned the stare willingly, silently begging Rei to stand down. She didn't want to hurt anyone else she cared about. She didn't want to kill another one of her cousins.

Kyouri's face was a mask of determination, sheer will visible in her raging green eyes.

_You can't stop me._

Rei blinked, and at that moment both women understood each other perfectly. A small smirk appeared on the lightning demoness's face.

"Forgive me, father," Rei said, returning to her listless countenance, bowing her head, seemingly indifferent to whatever happened in that dark courtyard, "But I don't believe I can."

"_What_?" the demon lord hissed, his red eyes narrowing dangerously.

"I believe I am supposed to carry on business transactions for you," Rei replied, turning to face her father unflinchingly. "This fight is completely personal. I can't interfere."

"You will obey me, wench," he growled threateningly, but another flash of light had passed through the yard, and she was gone.

Kyouri let a small smile creep onto her lips. Rei's defiance had actually come in handy for once. She would have to thank the hot-tempered demoness later.

"Insolent wench," her uncle growled, gritting his teeth. "She will pay just as soon as I am done with you."

Meanwhile, Aisu and Uneri, Rei's younger sisters, were gazing at Rei anxiously.

The lightning demoness was white with fear, shaking slightly as she drew in hesitant breaths.

"Nee-san," Aisu whimpered. "Why did you defy father?"

Rei clutched her chest, praying for her fear to die down. It took every ounce of hatred of her father within her to refuse him just then.

She smirked at her younger sisters, "I find the idea of death more comforting than spending the rest of eternity under father." She ignored her sisters' cry of fear as she moved closer to the edge of the roof, gazing down at the four people in the yard and thinking of Say.

Her older sister had enough faith in the hanyou to be killed; Rei would honor her memory by allowing Kyouri to face her father without interfering.

"Good luck, baka neko," she muttered to herself.

Kyouri smirked at her uncle's obvious discomfort. He had been hoping to get someone else to do the dirty work for him, as he usually did. How long had it been since he fought someone?

_Probably not since he killed father._

Kyouri's smirk fell off her face, a mask of concentration replacing it. Now, not only did the lives of her human friends lie in her hands, but the life of Rei as well.

Fine, what was a little more pressure, anyways?

"Kenshin, Sano, step back," she said calmly, addressing the men behind her. She looked back at them, "Remember your promise."

Kenshin and Sanosuke nodded, stepping back to the perimeter of the courtyard, giving room to Kyouri and her uncle for the fight that would ensue.

Kyouri turned to face her uncle once again. There was no turning back now.

-

-

Note: Waaaaah, I KNOW, OKAY, I KNOW! It took me forever to get this chapter up, and I have to say it's all my fault.

Well, okay, partially my fault.

There was a big thing with my beta reader, but that cleared up. But then my brother stole my computer because his wasn't working. THEN the whole network died and now there's only internet on a few computers, NOT including mine.

See? It's not completely my fault!

….

DON'T HURT ME!

Oh, yeah, this is supposed to be a note about the chapter, right? Well, it's not my favorite, but it could be worse. If you really want, I could wait until I'm completely happy with it. That way, you can get it by the time my poodle learns to open doorknobs with her opposable thumbs. Ah, well, what can ya do?

**Reviewer Responses (yes, these are still allowed, according to Omasu-kun):**

**White Rabbit5: **Well, reading your last review made me guilty. I left it off in a pretty climactic spot, and now I think all that drama's died down. Everyone should go back and read the last chapter again, for the sake of numbing down my guilt T.T. Anyways, I'm SO happy you liked the last chapter! I've been planning that chapter since I first thought of this fic two years ago, so, yeah, I'm happy! Thanks for reading over it, by the way, I really appreciated it!

**K.T. Kyouko:** "Hop"…? It says HOP! Damn! And in a dramatic spot too! (-fumes-). Oh well, can't do much about it now. In any case, I'm glad you liked the last chappie, so did I! And I really, _really_, hope you're still reading this, because it's been sooo long… T.T

**Rayne-chan: ** Now really! What kind of a response is that! (-grrrr-).

**OmasuOniwabanshu:** Yeah, I kind of felt Sano was being overshadowed by Rei and Kyouri, so I had to give him his kudos. I've also been planning that scene since, well, forever. I loved the headbutt, it was one of my favorite parts! (Kyouri: bleh, I didn't).

**FairyMage:** Ahh, the headbutt (a lot of people liked that, I guess). Yeah, if something like that happened in the anime or manga, I'd definitely crack up! Thanks for everything, I know I've probably been annoying. I hope school's going good for you! (how's your dorm?)

**Kumori-hime:** I hope you'll like this chapter too, although, like I said, it isn't my favorite so far. How disappointing… (-glomps!-) Don't go!

I feel bad that after so long this is the chapter you get. I love you all so much, and really count on your support! THANK YOU ALL, EVEN IF YOU ABANDON ME RIGHT NOW, I'LL STILL LOVE YOU! (just a little bit less, tho' XD)


	24. Chapter 19: The Battle

Chapter 19: The Battle

* * *

She charged, her feet rhythmically pounding the ground beneath her like a war drum. She could hear her pulse in her ears, and the sound of her battle cry was faint behind it. Every move Say had taught her, every way to kill, was flashing through her mind.

She would kill him.

She would kill him and end this once and for all.

Her clawed hand swiped, only to be dodged. She swiftly spun on her heel to deliver a blow with the momentum, but just as she thought she would hit him, he caught her heel and held it as easily as if she had been standing still. She growled, thrusting herself higher using him as a foothold, then drove her hand down with as much force as she could muster.

He shifted to the side and sent his own attack into her chest, taking her by surprise even as she flew backwards through the air.

She coughed up blood, feeling a stab of pain in her chest and knowing that a rib or two was broken. Still, she stood, knowing that this fight was not over

She had to kill him.

She just had to.

-

Sano's fists were clenched so tight Kenshin expected the street fighter's nails to cut his own palms. Kenshin wanted to reassure him, tell his friend that it would all be fine.

But he wasn't so sure himself.

He had watched in horror since the first moment Kyouri had attacked her uncle. They had both seen her fight with all the will she could rally, but they had both watched her slowly weaken.

Kyouri was being pummeled, each attack she attempted turned against her. She wouldn't last much longer at the rate she was going; Kenshin could already see that her tactics were becoming more desperate and rushed.

"Come on, Kyouri, don't give out yet," he heard Sanosuke mutter.

Kenshin couldn't help but feel a spur of hope; Kyouri wouldn't let herself lose, no matter what happened. Too much was on the line.

* * *

"What a kid," Kaoru sighed, motioning to Yahiko, who was propped against one of the posts, drool leaking out of his mouth as he snored softly. "He can't even stay up a few hours after his bed time."

"It is rather late," Megumi shrugged. "Besides, it's been a pretty intense afternoon."

"I suppose," Kaoru conceded, her shoulders sagging a little at the thought. Kenshin, Sanosuke, and Kyouri were probably fighting her uncle at that moment--fighting for their lives--and she was sitting here.

"You're getting that I-feel-so-helpless look you always get when Ken-san is away," Megumi sang coyly. "Poor little tanuki, pining for her loved one."

A spasm of anger passed over Kaoru's face. "Shut up. As if you would know what I'm thinking." Kaoru fumed silently to herself, the atmosphere around the women tensing.

There was a moment of silence, then Megumi spoke again, but this time softly and more seriously, "Even if you went, there wouldn't be much you could do." She smiled ironically. "I doubt even Ken-san's much help right now."

"What do you mean?" Kaoru asked, arching her eyebrows as she looked at the doctor inquisitively.

"I mean this is something Kyouri-san is going to have to go through; that's how it always is." Megumi looked thoughtfully at the hands in her lap, and Kaoru was sure she saw a trace of sadness in her face.

Kaoru sighed, as if agreeing with Megumi. It was true; no matter how close she considered herself to her friends, there was always the time when they would try to leave her behind because they had to face a personal ordeal. Even Kaoru knew how it felt to have someone butt into your personal business--it was as if they were intruding in something sacred.

Still, didn't they understand that help from friends wasn't something wrong? She had been helped by Kenshin, and she knew that if she hadn't she probably wouldn't be alive--either that or she would be living in a slum somewhere.

"Everyone always thinks that getting help from the people around them is wrong, as if they're not worth so much trouble," Kaoru frowned, gazing ahead at nothing with dark blue eyes. "They think other people have no place in these things that happen to them." She looked at Megumi. "Don't they understand that by including us in their lives, their problems have already become our problems? Why can't they ever accept the help of others? What are they afraid of?"

Megumi gazed back at the young girl, knowing exactly what she was talking about. This conversation wasn't just about the young half demon anymore; Kaoru was talking about Kenshin as well.

"I suppose we'll just have to show them, won't we?" Megumi smirked. "Eventually they'll get it through their thick skulls."

Kaoru looked at Yahiko, sleeping so peacefully even at a time like this. She envied him for a moment, wishing she could believe in Kenshin as powerfully as he did, so she could expect him and everyone else to always come through in the end.

A part of her did believe that--yet a part of her also remembered the cold eyes of Battousai.

Anyone could so easily slip away from themselves if they didn't have the support of others they cared about.

* * *

The metallic stench of blood was everywhere, dazing her as she lay on the gritty ground, teeth clenched in an attempt to keep the pain at bay. She clutched her side where the most recent counterattack from her uncle had hit.

She looked at the tall, dark, demon standing before her, the same smirk on his face as he gazed at her crumpled form.

She had gotten a few hits in, that was true, but they were nothing compared to what he had done to her.

She was losing.

"D-damn you," she growled, getting up slowly. "D-don't look so smug, I haven't lost yet."

"We are all allowed to indulge ourselves in delusions at the point of death, my little Kyouri," he replied with a caustic smile. "You wouldn't believe the ideas spilling from your fathers lips when he was about to die." He smiled yet more wickedly. "He actually thought you mother would stick around to take care of you!"

Kyouri was on her feet, glaring at him with eyes livid with anger.

She would not lose.

She ran towards him yet again, forgetting her pain for the moment as anger and adrenaline coursed through her veins.

"DIE!" she yelled as a trail of fire sparked from the fist she was throwing. He ducked, the fire barely singing the tips of his ebony hair as he swiftly punched her gut.

She felt as if someone was making the lights flicker, darkness and light fighting for dominance over her vision. She couldn't breathe, and she tasted acrid blood in her mouth as a spurt of it escaped her body.

"It is time to end your delusions, and your life," she heard a dark voice say.

By the time her vision had adjusted enough, she realized she still couldn't breathe. She groped ahead of her, only to find that he was holding her up by her neck, choking her as he grinned maliciously at her piteous state and attempts to break free of his grip.

She gagged, the tips of her feet scratching the ground beneath her. Tears of pain and helplessness formed in her eyes as red blood eyes bore into them.

His eyes widened maniacally, and he whispered, "_But I still want you to suffer more_."

He suddenly grabbed her left arm, wrenching at it and her neck at the same time so as to make her neck and shoulder more accessible as he viciously bit into it.

It felt as if knives the size of wakizashi were slicing into her shoulder, and she couldn't help but tilt her head back and scream in agony. She felt acid from his mouth dripping into her wound as he tore into it further, burning her flesh, skin, and clothes as it dripped down her shoulder in acerbic globs.

She vaguely felt herself being thrown back, and after what felt like an eternity of pain she realized she was on the ground, staring up at him with horrified wide eyes as he licked the blood off his lips.

"A blend of human and demon," he sneered, wiping his chin with the back of his hand. "_Perfect_."

She couldn't move her arm, and she had to wonder if it was even attached to her body still. Every bit of her was throbbing with pain, down from the tips of her toes up to the crown of her head. She was trying to move, she wanted to thrash and yell at the top of her lungs in pain, but she found that all she could do was twitch the very tips of her fingers on her right hand. Even her voice seemed to have disappeared as she made a sort of gagging noise, watching him lick up her blood from his face.

_I'm sorry Sano…_

She couldn't stop watching him, her green eyes open as far as they could possibly be open, tears leaking out and mingling with the splatters of red on her face. They fell into her mouth, and she could taste the salt mixing with the iron of the blood.

…_I have lost._

Her mind slipped out of consciousness, the sight of red eyes and the taste of tears in blood the last things her knew.

-

"Kyouri…" he whispered, his copper eyes widening in disbelief. "No…"

Kenshin said nothing, gripping the hilt of his sakabatou tightly as he watched the monster tear at Kyouri's shoulder, hearing the shrill sound of her agony in his ears.

Sanosuke and Kenshin watched as she fell back, her face frozen in horror and pain. Rivers of blood gushed out of her as she gazed at the man before her, and in what felt like slow motion, her eyes closed.

"KYOURI!" Sanosuke yelled at the top of his lungs, feeling a sense of terror claw at his chest. He had to do something, he had to help her.

"SANO!" he heard Kenshin yelling, and before he realized it he was running as fast as he possibly could.

She just needed time, that's all. She was part demon, she wouldn't die so easily. She just needed time to heal.

He could give her that time.

"COME BACK!" Kenshin was yelling, and for what Sanosuke was sure the first time Kenshin's voice was frantic.

He planted himself in front of Kyouri, and without a moment's hesitation he slammed his fist into the bastard uncle's face.

The look of incredulity on the monster's face was undeniable as he fell back.

Sanosuke was panting heavily, adrenaline coursing through him as the demon slowly got up.

The demon chuckled darkly, facing away from Sanosuke as his laughter grew louder.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU LAUGHING ABOUT, DIP SHIT!" Sanosuke yelled, feeling so much anger and disgust at this--this _thing_ before him. He would hurt him, hurt him as much as he had hurt Kyouri.

He was charging yet again, a yell of anger exploding from him as he punched the demon again, and again, and again.

He had no plan of attack, he wasn't aiming for any major organs or weak areas; all he was doing was trying to hurt every inch of this bastard he could reach. He wouldn't stop, not until this thing was dead.

He slowed down, his energy drained after what felt like thousands of punches. He couldn't keep going, but then, he thought, this bastard wasn't going anywhere any time soon, either. He grinned to himself as he stepped back, panting heavily with sore fists.

That dark laughter had started up again. He felt as if a slab of lead had dropped into the pit of his stomach, the hair on the back of his neck standing up.

Sure enough, the demon stood up as easily as if he hadn't even felt the bombardment of punches from Sanosuke.

And, in fact, Sanosuke had to wonder if he actually _had_ felt the punches.

"Do you really think," he laughed evilly, "that a _human_ would be able to hurt a demon lord like me?"

Sanosuke gave a feral growl. He glanced behind him at the crumpled form of Kyouri, drenched in blood and bruised almost beyond recognition. He glared at her uncle with so much intensity that it made the demon smirk.

"My, what spunk you have, don't you?" he sneered. "You'd make an excellent pet. Unfortunately…" It was as if a breeze had shifted, and Sanosuke heard words being whispered into his ear, "_…you die here_."

The demon was behind him. Before Sanosuke could react, his head was already pounding as he flew back with the force of the hit. He landed on the ground and got up quickly.

_No problem_, he thought, _Kenshin's hits hurt a lot worse than that one._

That's when he felt the burning sensation on the side of his face. In fear he quickly wiped it with his sleeve, only to find that his sleeve was being eaten away by acid. He watched blood drip onto his chest, and realized that the side of his face was probably raw by now.

_Who gives a shit_, he thought, _Kitsune will just have to patch me up later._

He was ready this time when the demon approached him, and he dodged some of the deadly swipes that were handed out to him. He couldn't keep it up, however, and eventually he was dripping blood onto the ground as bits of his flesh were eaten away.

He was panting heavily, and even when he landed a hit his opponent just seemed to shrug it off. He wouldn't be able to last much longer.

He let himself glance at the bloody figure that was Kyouri, and immediately felt the repercussions.

"_Mistake_," the demon hissed, his clawed hand digging into Sanosuke's shoulder, "Prey should _always_ pay attention to its hunter."

The demon dug his heel into Sanosuke's foot, pinning him as he clawed his hand up to Sanosuke's forearm. Sanosuke felt a new burst of pain explode as he watched blood soaked ribbons of his jacket fall to the ground. He was off balance now, but that was the least of his worries.

The demon's free clawed hand was no longer in sight. Sanosuke looked down, realizing that it was imbedded into his lower stomach. He felt hot blood run down the back of his pants, and realized that the demon's hand was probably protruding out of his back.

He felt as if it wasn't happening to him. He felt as if he was watching from a distance as the demon slowly and with a sick pleasure drew his hand out of Sanosuke's gut. The horrible burning sensation as the acid from the beast's claws dug its way through his body felt secondhand.

He felt as if he was watching a close friend die, and it wasn't him.

-

"SANO!" Kenshin screamed as loud as he could, feeling his body go numb with terror.

Sanosuke was dying.

Sanosuke was going to die.

"NO!" he yelled, running forward.

He immediately stopped, however, as he felt another chilling presence make itself known.

A thousand pins seemed to prick at his skin as he looked past Sanosuke at where Kyouri lay.

"_Put him down…_" a cold voice hissed.

Her aura was so powerful it was overwhelming him. There was a sensation of a huge object pressing at his whole body as she let a fresh wave of energy escape her body.

He froze in utter shock as he stared into a pair of unknown eyes. The whites of the eyes were crimson red, and it seemed as if the pupils were just thin slits in dull green irises.

What had happened to her?

* * *

Note: Umm, I have to wonder once more if anyone's out there.

Ah, well, what can you do? I've been busy with school and crap, but I must say I'm getting an anime thing going on again! Yes, folks, that's right! Kie-san's love for anime is being revived for unknown reasons! I tend to go through these "phases," although a lot of the time they're not "phases" but periods when obsessions kind of calm down for a while.

Like my obsession of Gerard Way. It's still going strong, even though it's been a few months. Ahhh, I could just stare at that perfect skin, those beautiful eyes, and that cute nose all daaaaay…(-dreams about Gerard Way until she realizes her readers are giving her strange looks-). So sue me, I'm a teenage fan girl with a crush. I'll get over it, and it's not like I'm stalking him or planning on manipulating where he goes so he can bump into me and fall in love so we can live forever together with two kids, named--

_Ahem_, okay then, moving on.

I hope everyone's doing okay, and I really want to thank those of you that reviewed! You make writing more fun, I must say. I'm also planning on catching up with a lot of the fics I haven't been able to read for a while, so don't be too surprised if you see a review of mine pop in randomly!

**Reviewer Responses:**

**Fairy Mage:** Yes, you did respond rather quickly last time (I was very happy, although obviously other things got in the way). Geez, that mistake you found in this chapter just about made me face fault. God, see? This is why you're around! So I don't make stupid mistakes like that! Agh, you've been great in beta-ing my stuff, I really appreciate it. Not much else to say, really, is there? Besides, of course, the usual "YOU'RE SO LUCKY I WISH I WAS IN COLLEGE!" thing.

**Ryoko of the Darkness Rising:** Ha! I bet you can't remember the reasoning behind this review either, can you! ….Wait… that's not a good thing… (-gloom-)

**K.T. Youko:** Waah, thank you, that means a lot to me (btw, your name has been added to Word's dictionary since I use it so much). I hope you liked this chapter as well!

**OmasuOniwabanshu:** Ehh, you're gonna be mad 'cause Kyouri got her ass wupped, aren't you? Ah well, lo que será, será. I'm glad you liked the little questions with Yahiko, 'cause honestly I thought it was rather corny. (-sighs-) Ahh, that wasn't my best chapter. It's on my list for "I'm gonna re-do this one day when I have the time and patience." XP

**UltimaDragoon3000:** Heh, a new reader! Lovely! Welcome to the club, have a Sano plushie! I'm glad you liked it, and I'll bring the three little demons back, although maybe not soon. :D

-

So, yeah, lovely responses for the last chapter, although I will say I missed a review from a certain reader that I was looking forward to (-cough- usashi -cough cough-). Don't be mad because I bug you, you know I love you!

Hope you guys are having a good time, whatever you're doing, and DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW!


	25. Chapter 20: The Blood of a Father

* * *

Chapter 20: The Blood of a Father

* * *

'_Put him down…_" she hissed again, though this time the intensity of her voice was supported by a wave of energy filled with hatred.

Kenshin's gaze shifted from those dangerous red eyes to the face of her uncle; he was looking, for the first time, stoically at his niece, still holding the limp form of Sanosuke by the arm.

Without a word the demon lord dropped the blood soaked street fighter to the ground, stepping over him and towards Kyouri.

"_Kenshin,_" the cold voice said, and he realized she was speaking to him, even though her gaze was still pinned on the demon before her. "_Pick him up_." The slate green slitted eyes turned to look at him, as cold and frightening as ever before. "_Keep him safe_."

Kenshin nodded, gulping down a large lump in his throat. He eyed the demon rather warilyfor a second, then ran towards Sanosuke as quickly as he could. _He isn't moving… _Kenshin worried as he reached Sanosuke. He gazed down at his friend, in awe of the sheer damage and carnage the demon lord had managed to make out of just one body. He might have been able to believe it wasn't really Sanosuke laying on the ground, half of his face raw and deformed and his white clothes crimson red with his own blood, if it weren't for the one eye that was open and gazing at him painfully.

"K-ken…" he gasped in a gargled voice.

"Don't say anything, Sano," Kenshin replied quietly as he bent down and picked him up, trying not to cause too much discomfort to his friend. "Kyouri's okay now, and we'll get Megumi-dono to take care of you soon." He was saying this not only for the battered street fighter, but for himself as well. "Just hang on."

"Ky-kyouri…" Sano gasped, just as his head hung down and he slipped out of consciousness. Kenshin reached a point in the yard as far away from the two demons as possible. He set Sanosuke down gingerly, then stared at Kyouri.

_Win._

-

"Hello, what's this?" the demon sneered with a tight smile. "My little hanyou smells like a nekoyoukai! cat demon" He lowered his head slightly, glaring at her with his smile still in place. "Just what have you done, Kyouri?"

She responded by letting a low sound of anger escape her lips. He felt another wave of energy press him, and realized her whole body was steaming.

The blood soaked gash in her shoulder seemed to tighten for a moment, then came together and healed completely, leaving no trace but the shed blood and torn clothes. Every other part of her body reacted the same, each injury hissing with energy then closing up as if it had never been there.

After a minute she was standing before him, completely whole and well.

"Are we going to have to do this all over again?" he sneered, tilting his head to the side. He licked his lips once, taking pleasure in remembering the look on her face just a few minutes ago. "_Fine_."

This time he charged first, eager to draw blood once again, especially after seeing all his beautiful gashes cleared away. His pointed hand fell, poison running to the tips of his fingers in hopes of meeting with flesh.

Instead, they met hard ground.

She had shifted to the side at the last moment with shocking speed, then completely ignored his puzzled face as she slammed a clawed hand into the side of his face.

He flew back, feeling his blood wet his shoulder as it poured out of the wound on his cheek. He flipped, landing upright and glaring at the hanyou as his face burned.

He touched it with the tips of his clawed fingers, feeling wet and hot black blood for the first time in a century.

"Congratulations, little hanyou," he snapped, all the sarcasm and ironic cheer gone from his voice. "You've managed to piss me off."

A smirk tugged at her lips, but she didn't respond. Instead, she was flying at him as a feral battle roar rose from her throat, both hands glowing red with immense heat.

He dodged her first attack, but she was ready with another. He felt iron hot claws swipe through his yukata and into his chest, grazing him but nonetheless causing him pain.

He _hated_ pain.

Before he could respond with an acidic swipe of his own, she was slamming her knee into his gut, then clawing at his arms with inch long and red hot claws.

By the time he was able to get away, both his sleeves were in tatters and his dark blood was hurrying to heal his wounds. The burning energy of the attacks, however, seemed to retard the healing process and blood ran down his arms.

"_I said I was going to kill you_," she hissed, grinning bitterly, "_I'm going to keep my promise, _Uncle."

Cracking her knuckles threateningly, she charged again.

-

"Dammit," Kenshin cursed, ripping the sleeve off his gi and applying it to Sano's bleeding gut. "Come on, Sano, stay with me."

The street fighter had been losing copious amounts of blood, a small river of red flowing from his body. Kenshin was trying with all his might to stem the flow of blood.

His efforts appeared to be in vain, however, since Sano's main wound went all the way through his body.

Kenshin gritted his teeth, feeling a sense of hopelessness and frustrated anger well up inside of him. He looked at Sano's face, noting that the side that was still whole was getting paler and paler.

"Come on, Kyouri," Kenshin muttered, clenching his fist. "He doesn't have much longer…"

-

"What's happening?" Aisu cried, clutching her sister Uneri in terror. "I don't understand…"

Uneri was also sniveling in fear, her wide blue eyes mirroring what was happening below in the courtyard.

"I…I don't know…" Rei muttered, her attention wholly on the fight. "Everything's changed…"

"Rei-nee-san," Uneri whimpered, "I'm so scared."

"Calm down!" Rei snapped, locking an eye on them as she tried to keep the other on the battle, "You're supposed to be demons! High blooded demons! Don't be scared!"

"B-but…" Aisu replied quietly, "She's so scary…"

Rei looked down at the courtyard, watching Kyouri make child's play out of her father. She could see flashes of the blood red eyes as Kyouri moved swiftly around the demon, submitting harsh and fiery blows to him.

Rei gave an involuntary shiver.

She _was_ scary.

-

She jumped back, landing softly on her feet as he slowly gave way. For the first time he was on his knees, looking at the red covered ground beneath him with wide and shocked eyes.

"Don't tell me you're done already," the cold voice of Kyouri hissed at him mockingly. "I'm barely beginning to enjoy myself."

"Bitch," he growled, glaring up at her with all the intensity he could manage. She didn't shrink back, however, as he expected her to, but simply gazed back at him with indifferent cold eyes.

"You can't scare me, not anymore," she said softly. "You've lost your grip on me."

"DIE!" he yelled, charging forward. He landed a solid hit on her stomach, and was almost ready to congratulate himself before he realized she was grinning up at him.

"_I was just about to say that_," she smirked. She gripped the wrist of the arm that was lodged in her stomach, anchoring it so he couldn't move as she grabbed his other arm.

He squirmed as he tried to release himself from her grasp, feeling panic well up inside of him.

He was scared for his life. Still, he knew he still had pieces to play.

"Kyouri," he whispered hoarsely, feeling a sharp pain in his chest from his injuries. "Kyouri, listen to me."

She didn't respond, but merely gazed at him intently, as if waiting for him to continue but treating him like a waste of time.

A small grin flickered onto his features, "Are you really going to kill me?"

"Yes," she replied easily.

He faltered slightly, but quickly composed himself, "Will you end my life now?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because you deserve to die."

"Why?"

"Because you have hurt so many others."

"Who have I hurt?"

"My father, my cousins, my friends. Me."

"Why do you think I did that?"

"Because you're evil."

"Because I wanted _power_."

"I will make you lose that power."

"What are you doing now?"

"Ending your regime."

"And how are you doing that?"

"By killing you."

"No, by using your own power against mine." His smile grew a bit larger. She said nothing, gazing at him indifferently. "How do you think you got that power?"

She looked at him silently, her face unreadable.

"Do you think the power you have is any different than mine?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because…" she faltered, her eyes showing a hint of reluctance and doubt.

"Because you didn't kill others? Because your power is your own?"

"Yes."

"_You have killed_." He felt her grip tighten on his arms, and knew that she was really listening now. "Look at that pathetic heap laying in the corner of the yard. I'm sure you can smell what I smell, being the demon of immense power that you are. Tell me, Kyouri, can your nose pick up what mine can so easily detect?"

She didn't reply, but her mask was falling slightly, so he could see a storm of emotions within her red eyes.

"_Death, Kyouri. I smell death_." He was grinning fully now, feeling the old sense of power returning to him. "That human is dying. Can't you see the flow of his life escaping him? Can't you see the futility of the human beside him, trying to quell the river? Why do you think he's dying?"

She was frowning now, easily uncomfortable.

"_Because he loves you_."

She began to tremble slightly, trying to regain the control she once had over herself.

"Do you understand? All that blood he is shedding fuels this power you have. You are no different than me." He grinned. "Your strength is as blood soaked as mine."

"_Silence_," she hissed, and, without another word, great flames erupted from her hands, engulfing the figure before her. "_Die_."

"You may delude yourself, Kyouri!" he laughed, even as the great fire consumed him, "But you know and feel the truth, as do I! WE ARE THE SAME! YOU ARE WHAT I AM! YOU HAVE KILLED YOUR FATHER AS MUCH AS I HAVE!"

She stepped back, watching the fire grow as she willed it. Still, she could not silence his voice, no matter how hard she tried, no matter how much she craved silence.

And so he died laughing.

-

He was shaking, teeth gritted together and blue eyes wide open.

She had done it, the demon was dead.

So why did he still feel as if they had been defeated?

He turned away from the limp form of Sanosuke, the street fighter, and looked at Kyouri, the demoness.

She was gazing at the smoldering remains of her uncle with an blank face, streaks of red gracing her cheekbones and blood stained claws at her side.

Would he lose them both?

"Dammit," he cursed yet again. He checked Sanosuke's pulse for the umpteenth time, praying he had made it so he could take him to see Megumi.

He didn't give a damn what Kyouri did now.

She was gone.

He clenched his fist as he drew away his hand from Sanosuke's neck.

And so was he.

Kenshin clutched the hilt of his sakabatou tightly, his knuckles whitening as his eyes burned.

_Crunch._

He heard a step directly behind him, and immediately felt the ominous presence of Kyouri.

He spun around, standing up with his hand ready on his hilt. He didn't know what this demon had in mind, but she wasn't getting Sanosuke's remains.

"Kenshin," she whispered. The grip on his hilt loosened, and the sense of fear slipped slowly away.

She was crying.

"I need to give it back," she continued as the tears flowed from her blood red eyes. "Please, let me see him."

Kenshin gulped, but nodded as he stepped away.

"_I still have a human heart. I'm too weak to properly control my emotions like full demons should."_

She would never hurt him. Not Sanosuke. She loved him.

Kenshin hung his head sadly at the thought. It didn't matter anymore. No matter how much she loved him, no one could bring back the dead.

"Sanosuke," she whispered, kneeling down and tentatively lifting his blood soaked form so his head was resting in her lap. A tear fell onto his face, smudging the dried blood as it ran down his pale cheek. "Sanosuke…" She clutched him tightly, hugging him as she huddled over him, her shoulders shaking. "I'm so sorry…"

Kenshin watched in amazement as the same fire that had consumed the demon lord earlier erupted from her, completely engulfing both demon and human.

Kenshin could no longer see her back or Sanosuke's arms as the fire grew in intensity. It roared and brightened the dark and somber night, warming his face and chest. He didn't understand what was happening. Was she cremating Sanosuke's body? Was she killing herself as well?

The fire died down almost as immediately as it had begun. Kenshin's eyes widened in shock when he realized both figures of Kyouri and Sanosuke were still there. Nothing had changed, however, as Sanosuke was still lying as immobile as before. Kyouri didn't move, still sitting with her back towards Kenshin and Sanosuke's head in her lap.

Kenshin wondered for a moment if he had merely imagined the great flame, running his hand through his bangs.

He turned, ready to go home, to see Kaoru and Yahiko and Megumi, even if he had to tell them the horrible news.

"Kyouri…?" a voice said. Kenshin's head snapped up as he turned abruptly back to the forms of his two friends.

Sanosuke's arm was moving.

"Kyouri? What's wrong?" he heard Sanosuke's voice say. Kenshin ran towards them, stopping at Sanosuke's side and looking incredulously at his body.

All the wounds were gone, only the caked blood remaining.

"Kenshin?" Sanosuke asked in an awe-filled voice. "What's going on? What happened?"

"S-sano?" Kenshin stuttered. "Y-you're alive?"

"What?" Sano looked down at himself, then back up at Kenshin. "Er, yeah, I guess so. Shouldn't I be?"

"O-oro…" Kenshin muttered, falling to one knee in shock.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," Sano grinned, sitting up. "Right, Kyouri?"

As he sat up, however, Kyouri fell back. She landed on the ground with a dull thud, just as a thick log or a heavy doll would sound. She wasn't moving, and she hadn't responded at all to what Sanosuke had said.

Her eyes were half open, clear green and white, just as they had been hours before, and a small smile was frozen on her lips.

"Kyouri?" Sano asked, panic in his voice as he made his way to her. "Kyouri? Hey! Come on, answer me!" He propped her up so he was holding her torso, her blank eyes gazing at him. "Kyouri! What's wrong! Kyouri!"

"Sano!" Kenshin warned, motioning to an approaching figure. Sano looked up, his face a mask of panic as he gazed into Rei's electric blue eyes.

"Hmph," Rei snorted, lowering her eyelids haughtily at the three people before her. She examined Sano's face and expression carefully, then Kenshin's wary eyes, and finally Kyouri's limp form and vacant face.

She crossed her arms, frowning at her cousin, then at Sanosuke. "I guess I owe her enough." She began to walk away. "Leave, now."

"OI!" Sano yelled back indignantly. "Tell me what's wrong with Kyouri!"

Rei stopped in her tracks, then pierced Sanosuke with a harsh gaze, "Get out before I change my mind and kill you." Sano said nothing, but continued to glare at the demoness' back.

"Sano," Kenshin said tentatively, "We should get Kyouri to Megumi."

"Yeah," Sano frowned, looking down at Kyouri with worry. He gently closed her eyes with his hand, then scooped her up as he stood. He shifted her in his arms until her head was resting in the crook of his neck and her arms were in her lap.

Without a backwards glance or another word, he turned and began to make his way out of the courtyard, Kenshin following morosely behind.

The fight had ended, but had they truly won?

* * *

**Notes:** I'm sure you're all getting used to cliffhangers by now. And not just ordinary cliffhangers, but cliffhangers that are left unanswered for whole months.

Yep, it's really been a month since I've posted my last chapter.

Honestly, time just flies by. It doesn't feel like a month, but I guess it has been. A lot of the people I've subscribed to haven't updated in a while, so that also has a weird effect on how time passes by for me.

We're all slackers, aren't we?

Well, not all of us, maybe just the 16 year old girls living in Arizona sitting at their computers at 10:00 pm updating their fics after a month's wait.

Yeah, they're total slackers.

I hope all's well for all you readers. Know I love you, each one, because you're all very special….

DON'T LISTEN TO WHAT THEY TELL YOU! YOU'RE JUST SPECIAL, DAMMIT!

Or so my mom says.

Um, yeah, did I mention it was ten o' clock?

LEAVE A REVIEW, AND BE SPECIALLLLL!

**Reviewer Responses:**

**Fairy Mage: **I'm sorry if you got mad at me, I really didn't mean anything bad by it! You are an excellent beta, and I'm very sorry that college ate you. I LOVE YOUUUU! DON'T DIE ON MEEEE! I hope you still get some time and enjoyment for and by my fic and all the others you read.

**K.T. Youko:** Ahh, that's good! The music helped my otherwise lame fight scenes come to life! Whoop! (I honestly don't like writing fight scenes very much, I'm not very creative in that way…). Ahh, it's a shame. Some day I will post a chapter that will be completely error free! Then I will just laugh and laugh and laugh and laugh when I WIN! MWA HA HA! (it's like a game, right? ;) ). Now, did you really think I could kill Sano? Hell no! That'd break my heart too! T.T

**White Rabbit 5:** DON'T MESS WITH ME, WOMAN! (-fumes-). Naturally I missed you, you've only been reading/reviewing this fic since forever! (no pressure, eh?). It's ok if you stop reading it, but if you read a chapter, then you have to leave a review, ne? (isn't it your philosophy?). I'm glad you liked the fight (I don't like writing fight scenes, I have no creativity for such things!), but I'm glad you liked the conversation with Kaoru and Megumi more. I really wanted to show what I was trying to show in a not too cheesy way, y'know? (gee, I'm so articulate). Anyways, I'm glad it worked. As for the fight scenes, I actually think I write them much better than I used to because I read your fics (which, btw, I'm still waiting on). Ahh, it seems as if we're all a bit too busy sometimes for fanfics, eh? 'Tis life…

**OmasuOniwabanshu:** Mwa ha ha, sessha made you wince! I wanted them vivid, it would be kind of lame for it to be "he punched Kyouri. It hurt." Eh, my story takes place before the Kyoto Arc, but after the Kanryuu incident, so Sano doesn't know it yet. (-shrug-) he will eventually! Kenshin did help out in his own way. This was more of a personal fight, so I didn't want too many people jumping in. :D

**Angel of Mercy:** Heh heh, about those flaming katana's of doom… (-sweatdrop-) WE CAN'T ALL BE HIGH ON SUGAR ALL THE TIME! SPARE MEEE! O.o

**Ryoko of the Darkness Rising:** (-GASP!-) YOU DON'T REMEMBER WHAT YOU WROTE A MONTH AGO! SHAME! Eh, you probably don't remember what I'm talking about, eh? XD

**Waterswind:** Heh heh, I actually liked your review, even if it was so short! Thanks! I hope you keep reading!

**RockMobster:** (-sniff-) How can thou think thy doesn't matter? I LOVE THEEE! (-glomp!-). Thanks for the review, it really does matter and I really do appreciate it. SO LEAVE ANOTHER ONE! XD

HAPPY BELATED HALLOWEEN!

AND LEAVE A REVIEW OR ANGEL OF MERCY WILL CHASE YOU WITH FLAMING KATANA'S OF DOOM! (as I am now being (-ducks-))


	26. Chapter 21: Unexpected Assistance

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Chapter 21: Unexpected Assistance

* * *

_A tree, swaying with the wind and the force of the little girl swinging from its branches. She laughed and jumped down, then ran through the vast garden as she chased her imagination._

_She stopped in front of a woman with a stern gaze, and the little girl hung her head as if she had done something wrong._

_"Why couldn't you have been…?"_

_The question was left unanswered as she yelled at her mother, her voice screeching over the final words._

_He blinked, and the little girl was sitting in the corner, hunched up and staring. He followed her gaze to see the mauled body of a man, dark red blood seeping out of it._

_She yelled once again, screaming with her mouth so wide he could count the teeth within, including the small child-like fangs._

_He turned to look back at the dead body, only to see his own figure sprawled over the ground, more blood seeping through the white coat as his blank eyes stared…_

_She was sobbing, still in the corner, but much older._

_"Just leave me…please. Let me go, I can't take it anymore, Sanosuke…"_

* * *

"How is he?" Kenshin asked as Kaoru walked somberly down the walkway, sitting down next to him.

She shrugged, "He's asleep. I left the tray inside; hopefully he'll eat it when he wakes up." Kaoru didn't bother hiding her worried expression. "He hasn't left the room at all, and he hardly eats, even though I've told him repeatedly I haven't cooked at all! If anything happens to Kyouri…I don't know what'll happen to him…"

Kenshin smiled reassuringly, although there was doubt within him as well, "It's all right, Kaoru-dono, Sano and Kyouri are both strong people. Whatever happens, they will be fine." She smiled back at him, but her eyes didn't lose their anxious expression.

-

Sanosuke woke with a start, beads of sweat running down his cheek. He let out a shaky breath, then leaned back against the wall.

He furrowed his brow, gazing at Kyouri's sleeping form.

What was that dream about? He remembered Kyouri, and he remembered so much blood…

Was he dreaming her past? Was he dreaming her nightmares? Why…?

She was silent as always, her chest rising ever so faintly as she slept on, unaware of his constant vigil. He had been with her for two days now, this being the third, and she had yet to show any sign of life besides the constant beating of her heart and intake of breath.

He couldn't help shivering, looking down at her

Kyouri wasn't supposed to be this pale. This quiet. This…_lifeless_.

He had sat in the same room only a few days earlier, expecting her to pass on only to have her wake once again. Her demon blood had healed her wounds then, but now…

Megumi couldn't find any physical wounds to heal. She should at least have opened her eyes by now…

_"Just leave me…please. Let me go, I can't take it anymore, Sanosuke…"_

He could hear the words she had cried in his dream, and he couldn't help feeling she'd be saying the same thing if she was awake…

"Kyouri," he muttered, "Don't give up so easily. As long as you can keep going, I can keep going." He closed his eyes and sighed. "What can I do to show you that…?"

-

_They'll be fine._

"Hah!"

_Megumi said she was perfectly healthy._

"Hah!"

_Kenshin sleeps for long periods of time after a fight, too…_

"Hah!"

_They'll be fine…_

"HAH!" As much as Kaoru tried to reassure herself, she couldn't help feel a nagging sense of despair, as if Kyouri had already passed on.

She exhaled breath steadily, and then lowered her shinai as she studied her student's progress.

"Put more leverage on the hilt, Yahiko," she said, "And make sure you keep the swing steady all the way through." Yahiko acknowledged her comment with a tip of his head, then swung once more, this time much better than before.

She sighed, sitting down against the wall.

"Hey, ugly, don't tell me you're done already!" Yahiko retorted as he held his shinai in position.

"I'm just taking a break, idiot," she snapped back. The truth was, she found it hard to concentrate; her mind kept going back to Kyouri's sleeping form and Sanosuke's vigil.

She closed her eyes. She didn't like going into that room. Every time she did, it felt as if it had gotten just a little bit colder…

"Kaoru-dono," Kenshin had appeared by the door, a strangely serious expression on his face. "This one senses trouble."

Kaoru got up hastily, "What is it, Kenshin?"

He frowned, "A demon is coming."

-

Time seemed to crawl by his slumped form, minutes stretching into hours and slowly into days. But then, upon reflection, he still felt as if he was watching Kyouri get beaten by her uncle…

The dreams he kept having didn't help. He would see Kyouri's past; her childhood, her nightmares, and her hopes. Surprisingly, he was in a lot of those dreams…

He felt his heart skip a beat.

He remembered the night he had spent with Kyouri, when Kaoru and Megumi had dressed her up in a dark blue kimono. She had seemed so happy, and he had felt almost sick with bliss, but that was the night she had left him…

He frowned as he closed his eyes. If she could just let him see her place of darkness, maybe he could help her find her way out…

Damn, now he knew how Kaoru felt half the time.

The shoji slid open, and he lazily opened his eyes.

It was only after he let his gaze travel up the red hakama, absorb the layers of open kimono, and into the young woman's face, that he realized what he was looking at.

The same dark red eyes he had been dreaming about were suddenly boring down on him.

"SHIT!" he yelled in surprise. He stared at the demoness at the door, but was unable to do much else…

She quirked an elegant eyebrow, "My, human," she said languidly, "How articulate you are."

He glared at her and replied, "Who the hell are you and what are you doing here?"

She smirked, "I'm here to see Kyouri-san, of course."

He stood up defensively, "Back off; I don't give a fuck if you're the strongest demon in Japan, I'll beat your ass before I let you touch her."

She tilted her head slightly, then her smile broadened, "You have no need to worry about that. The strongest demon in Japan is dying in front of you."

Sanosuke's eyes widened as he looked down on Kyouri, "She's dying?"

"Of course," the demoness shrugged as she went down on her knees besides Kyouri, settling herself on the ground delicately. "But we can fix that."

"Eh?" Sano's eyebrows disappeared under his headband, "You're gonna help her?"

She scoffed at his amazement, "Please, human, you don't give my family enough credit." She placed a taloned hand on Kyouri's forehead. "She helped my sisters and me, so I will return the favor." Sano studied her warily for a second longer, but finally sat across from her on Kyouri's other side.

"So, what's wrong with her?" Sano asked testily.

The woman had closed her eyes, and now snorted gracefully, "Strangely enough, her soul is still tied to her body." She opened her eyes, and Sano couldn't help feel uneasy as they stared at him. "She gave you her life energy, which was a risky move in itself. You could have been ripped apart by the demonic aspect of it. Still," she smiled pleasantly, "you seem to have taken well to it. In fact, I believe her soul is in limbo between your body and hers."

Sano's eyes widened, "Is that why I've been having weird dreams?"

She grinned, "Dreams about my father, no doubt. Yes, she's tied to you at the moment."

Sano grimaced, imagining a hazy Kyouri in a white death kimono floating above them, an eerie expression on her face.

The demoness seemed to be ignoring him, "I believe her body is in fine condition, she healed it during the fight; it's her spiritual and life energy that's depleted, but for a demoness of my prowess, it's really no problem. Though," she addedlooking up at Sano, "you're going to have to give her some of your spiritual energy, or else my pure demon energy could kill her."

Sano nodded, "All right."

"Rest your hands on her chest," she said, motioning to Kyouri. Sano did that, ignoring the surreal absurdity of the situation in general.

He still didn't believe in demons, or, at least, it hadn't sunk in yet, even after…

She placed her own hands over his, and closed her eyes. "Now, simply let your energy flow into her and we will revive her."

Now Sanosuke really did feel stupid. He found it hard to believe he could do any of that (Kenshin was the one that was good with ki), but he still had to try.

An image of Kyouri laughing with him flashed through his mind, her green eyes glinting happily…

His hands began to feel warm, and he was surprised when the woman said, "Very good, human, very good…"

* * *

_Why am I here? Why am I here? Why am I here…?_

The same question plagued her as she drifted, her body numb as her mind wandered. She had spent what seemed like eternity falling through her memories, and she was tired, so tired, of hurting…

_Someone please let me leave…I just want to go, let me go, Sano…_

_"Kyouri…"_

Her name echoed around her, a hint of a whisper as she wondered who had come for her.

_"Kyouri, I'm here…"_

_Sano?_ No, it couldn't be him. It had to be someone else, but who…?

_"Kyouri."_

A figure appeared before her, slowly coming into focus as she felt a jolt of shock.

She was staring into bright green eyes, jarringly alike to hers.

_Father?_

He smiled at her, _"Hello, my little Kyouri."_

_Father!_ She felt a rush of joy as she took in his mystic appearance. He looked just as she remembered: tall, lean, his hair in a long brown braid, and with the same kind expression in his cat-like eyes…

_You're here for me, right? Can I leave now?_

He smiled warmly once more, _"Kyouri, I'm not here to take you."_

She felt her happiness wane, _But…I really want to leave…I just need to get out…_

_"Kyouri,"_ he sighed,_ "If you really wanted to leave, you could've any time. You know that."_

She was silent as she felt the happiness within her clench tightly into a ball, turning into discomfort.

_"You've been holding onto him, just as he has been holding on to you."_

_He's the one that didn't let go!_ she cried. _I tried to tell him to just let me go!_

He looked at her sadly, _"Why do you want to die so badly?"_

_Because…because it'd be better if I did. I could not face him again, or my other friends, not after they saw me…_

Shame grew within her.

_I'm no different than him, father, I don't deserve what I have. I should just die. I—I'm content knowing everyone's alive and well, that's all I need to pass from this world in peace…_

_"If you do, I doubt that man will ever be able to live happily."_

She felt weariness consume her. _But I'm so tired, father…_

_"Life is tiring," _he smiled comfortingly, _"But when you have someone you care about, it's always worth the effort."_

She bristled. _She never cared about you, or me. Don't say that, that woman hardly deserves your attention._

He looked down at her sadly, _"Kyouri, it's not as you think it is."_

_No! It is! Do you know what she did to me, to your daughter? _her voice seemed to get louder as the anger grew. _She left me with that monster! She left me so she could live! That's the kind of person she was!_

_"Kyouri, you don't understand, but…"_ he trailed off, then closed his eyes, _"You will have to give her a chance. For me, all right?"_

She seemed to draw back from him, _Father, there won't be a chance. I told you, I'm leaving them all._

He shook his head slowly, _"You let yourself believe you were no different than my brother. Kyouri, you could have never drawn a more mistaken conclusion."_ He smiled at her._ "His power comes from manipulation and hatred; he stole it from his victims just as he stole you from me. But you—"_ His smile broadened. _"Your power was given to you, a gift from a man that cares for you very much. You should be happy you were able to use it."_

_But…but father,_ she cried,_ I nearly _killed_ him, I nearly killed Sano…_

_"It was a price he was aware of, and he readily paid. Let him in, Kyouri, he won't leave you."_

_Father…_

_"He's coming for you. Please, help each other."_

She felt a shock of sadness as she saw he was fading, _Father, please don't leave…_

He smiled down at her, _"When have I ever left you? I love you, little one…"_

_Daddy…_

* * *

"Don't go…" she gasped as a tear rolled down her face.

"Hey!" Sano exclaimed as he glared up at the demon. "Are you hurting her!"

"Hardly," the woman frowned, taking hers and Sano's hands off Kyouri, "She must still be reminiscing. Perhaps about her mother…?"

"Kyouri," Sanosuke called, "Oi, Kyouri? Are you awake?"

"Sano—" she whispered. Finally, after what felt like another three days of waiting, she opened her eyes, and he could see his reflection in the bright green irises as she stared back questioningly.

"Sanosuke…?" she mumbled, blinking and sitting up, "What…?"

"You're back," Sanosuke sighed as he looked at her with a mixture of relief and elation. "You're really okay, Kyouri." He laughed softly to himself as he sat back, staring at her in wonder. "Man, you really scared the crap out of me."

"Sano?" she asked, a worried smile on her face. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, yeah, fine," he grinned, waving her off with his hand, "I'm just a little tired." Indeed, he was breathing rather heavily, as if he had just run a long distance, and he was leaning back on the wall rather warily, happily gazing at her as he rested.

"I'm glad to see you're doing well, Kyouri-sama," a voice to her right stated. Kyouri's skin prickled and she turned to see no other than Ichijou smirking at her.

"You," Kyouri frowned, "What are you doing here?"

"Must you speak that way to me, Kyouri-sama?" Ichijou grinned. "Surely not after I helped you come back to your body."

"Sanosuke helped me," Kyouri growled, "You people never help; you only work for your own advantage." Ichijou was silent, gazing at Kyouri stonily.

"How can you say that," she said softly, "after Say gave her life selflessly?"

Kyouri flared, "Don't talk to me about Say."

"Then don't tell me I don't have a soul," Ichijou narrowed her eyes at her cousin, "You forget, dearest Kyouri, that it's not that demons have no emotions, but that they can simply control them more efficiently."

Kyouri frowned, "Just what do you want?"

"We need to talk, Kyouri-sama."

"Fine," Kyouri sighed, "But not here. Sano—" She cut off when she realized he was sleeping, his jaw slack as his head leaned against the wall. "Sano…?"

Ichijou snorted, "The human completely wore himself out trying to revive you. Don't expect him to wake up for a few days."

Kyouri shot Ichijou a dirty look, but then got up and draped her blanket over Sanosuke.

"Let's talk outside."

"Lead the way," she replied coyly.

-

"KYOURI!" Kaoru exclaimed as soon as Kyouri walked through the door. "You're all right!" Kaoru ran to her and hugged her, still rambling incoherently but clearly thrilled nonetheless.

"Kyouri-dono," Kenshin smiled, tilting his head down, "This one is glad to see you are well. We were rather worried when your cousin came. This one is glad she kept to her word." He cast a steely gaze at Ichijou, but she just smirked and shrugged it off.

"Ha!" Yahiko grinned cockily, "I knew you'd be okay! You should've _seen_ how worried everyone was about you!"

"You weren't worried?" Kyouri asked, smiling as she quirked an eyebrow.

He shrugged, "Maybe a little, but no way you'd just up and die like that."

She grinned happily at him, then turned to face everyone else.

"Thank you, guys," she said, her green eyes glittering with happiness. "But now—I believe I have to talk to my cousin…"

Kaoru cast Kyouri a worried expression, but Kenshin merely nodded and began leading the way out of the yard, Kaoru and Yahiko in tow.

Ichijou smiled nonchalantly to herself, then settled herself down gently, crossing her legs, "This is a very quaint little dojo, isn't it? It's rather peaceful, not like the mansion."

"Ichijou," Kyouri said warily, leaning her shoulder against a post, "Tell me what you're doing here."

Ichijou glanced up at her without moving her head, "I believe I already told you, Kyouri-sama, I am here to help."

"And why are you calling me that, anyway?" Kyouri snapped.

"Simple," Ichijou replied pleasantly. "You defeated my father and are now the Lady of the mansion and the family. I am under your service, Kyouri-sama."

Kyouri stared at her in disbelief, "Are you screwing with me?"

"Please, Kyouri-sama," Ichijou frowned, "Demon Ladies hardly use such crude language." Kyouri sighed heavily, slumping down onto the ground as she tilted her head back against the post.

"I think I'm gonna go crazy…" she muttered to herself.

"I have a special tea for that, I believe," Ichijou smirked.

Kyouri cast her a wary look, "Ichijou, why didn't you kill me? You could've taken power so easily. It belongs to you, anyway."

Ichijou shook her head, "No, Kyouri-sama, I already said it belongs to you. Besides, I doubt I could kill you even if I wanted to."

Kyouri tucked in her chin as she looked steadily at her cousin, interest peaked, "What do you mean by that?"

Ichijou sighed heavily, "You really do resemble your parents too much for me to handle, Kyouri-sama."

Kyouri arched her eyebrows in surprise, "You knew my parents?"

"Naturally," Ichijou shrugged, "I even met you mother on several occasions before…"

"Before she found out my father was a demon and turned tail and ran," Kyouri finished bitterly.

"That's hardly what happened," Ichijou stated blandly. "You don't give your mother enough credit, Kyouri-sama."

"Oh, don't start," Kyouri snorted, "Not you, too."

Ichijou gave Kyouri a bemused look, but didn't question the strange comment. She turned to gaze out at the simple yard once again, then said vaguely, "Haven't you ever wondered where that necklace came from?"

Kyouri looked up at her, knitting her eyebrows together, "My father gave it to me, of course."

Ichijou scoffed, "Well, it's not like he wished it into existence, did he?"

Kyouri sat up more straightly, "You know where it came from?"

Ichijou turned to gaze at Kyouri with a cryptic expression, "Of course. I made it."

A still silence hung over the women as Kyouri stared at Ichijou with wide eyes of disbelief.

"Wha…?" was all the half-breed was able to mutter.

Ichijou gazed ahead with a tender expression foreign on the woman's usually cold demeanor, "You have to understand, that with a parent like mine, my uncle was more of a father to me than anything."

Ichijou sighed heavily, tilting her head upwards, "I was the only one that knew of his love for a human. He was really genuinely smitten by her, even though he was already promised to a clan, once they bore a suitable mate."

"My mother…?" Kyouri mumbled.

"Who else could it be?" Ichijou nodded. "He came to me rather distraught, telling me of his predicament. He had spoken with her several times, but he was worried about getting any closer lest she should begin to…notice things.

"Unlike the Fox clan, we Cat-demons really don't have any powers to disguise ourselves more than the usual demon." She glanced at Kyouri. "So, he came to me looking for an answer."

"Why you?" Kyouri frowned. "I mean, what could you do anyways?"

Ichijou grinned widely, baring her fangs, as she chuckled, "I am the first born daughter; I have no duties to anyone as it is. What else could I do but study?" She narrowed her eyes cattishly. "Don't make light of me, Kyouri, I may not have your physical strength or my Father's malicious mind, but I am well versed in most languages and am familiar with most secret traditions."

"Do you have any idea how far-fetched that sounds?" Kyouri said skeptically.

"Perhaps," Ichijou replied with a miffed expression, "But your necklace is proof enough. It absorbs demonic energy so well that the wearer is reduced to an almost mortal state. Only alchemy can do something like that."

Kyouri stared at Ichijou with newfound respect.

"That's better," Ichijou grinned haughtily, causing Kyouri to scowl at her, "Anyways, with that my uncle was able to court the human woman. I thought that after a while he would tire of her, but, to my surprise, he married her. Right under the family's nose, I may add, and still no one noticed. With my help, even his child was able to escape detection." Then she added, "For a while, anyway."

Ichijou let out a long sigh, then tilted her head down thoughtfully. After waiting a few seconds for her to continue, Kyouri said impatiently, "Then what? Come on."

"What do you mean 'then what'?" Ichijou snorted, "I thought that explained things rather well."

"Ehh…" Kyouri replied, looking away.

Ichijou gave her a peevish look and said, "If it weren't for me, you wouldn't even be alive. I can't help but feel a sense of responsibility for you. Besides," she looked away cockily, though her voice seemed more serene than egoistical, "I really cared for my uncle. He would've wanted me to take care of you."

There was a moment of silence as they both mulled over what had been said in their minds.

Kyouri frowned as she looked up in exaggerated despair, "You people drive me crazy. The second I think one thing, you turn it around and…"

Ichijou smirked with her usual brazen attitude, "You have no idea. Your hair would curl if I told you everything I know. Like, Rei, for instance, she…"

"Don't!" Kyouri butt in. "I _really_ don't wanna hear it!"

"Suit yourself," Ichijou shrugged smugly, as if it was Kyouri's fault for missing out on a really juicy fact.

Kyouri stared at her cousin, surprised as she realized she did, in fact, enjoy her company. Still…

"Why didn't you help me earlier?" she asked softly, remembering how she had been assaulted in her presence to have her mind filled with false memories.

Ichijou looked ahead stoically, avoiding Kyouri's eyes. Finally, after painful minutes of quiet, she replied in a small voice, "I already told you, Kyouri, I'm a scholar, not a fighter. Besides—he was my father, there was nothing I could do…"

Kyouri clenched her fists in repressed anger.

"I don't ask you to forgive me," Ichijou continued, "I simply ask that you understand." She stood up, her self-assured mask back on tightly. "All right, I've wasted enough time here, dear cousin. I should get going."

Kyouri stood up and shook her head in confusion, but she couldn't help a small smile from forming, "All right, Ichijou, I'll show you the way out."

"Thank you," Ichijou nodded politely. They walked in silence to the gate of the dojo.

"By the way," Kyouri said, her hand resting on the door, "forget the 'Kyouri-sama' stuff. I really don't want to head the family; I'll leave that up to you. Let's just—forget about what happened."

Ichijou smirked knowingly, "I doubt any of us will forget any time soon, Kyouri, but I understand. I won't bother you with issues of the family. Still," she allowed her red eyes to soften, "you are welcome back at any time, and don't hesitate to ask for assistance, if you should ever need it, though I pray you never will. We are all in your debt."

Kyouri smiled more broadly now, but it fell as a dark thought crossed her mind, "Ichijou?"

Her demonic cousin gave her a questioning expression.

"I—I mean, well, about Say…" A painful expression shrouded Kyouri's face. "I'm sorry."

Ichijou looked on stoically, though her red eyes revealed more, "As am I, Kyouri. My sister was one to be admired, and she always will be as long as those she affected are around."

"Thank you," Kyouri tilted her head down, "for everything."

"Likewise," Ichijou smirked. "Take care of that hard-headed human; I have to say I took a liking to the fool." Kyouri smiled despite herself. "Goodbye, and feel free to call on me."

"All right," Kyouri replied, opening the door. "Have a safe trip."

Ichijou gave one last meaningful glance at her cousin as she stepped into the waiting carriage, which had probably been drawing strange looks from passersby for a while now. The coachman closed the door swiftly, then he jumped onto his perch and urged the horses on without a second glance.

Kyouri shut the dojo gate as she walked back inside, only to find the other residents waiting impatiently for her.

"Well?" Kaoru asked as she looked Kyouri over fretfully, "How do you feel?"

Kyouri smiled, feeling lighter than she ever had in so many years, "Unbelievably well." Then, after a pause, "Can I take a bath…?"

* * *

**Note: **Well, now, wanna hear something funny? This chapter has been ready for about two weeks now, but I haven't put it up because I'm a crazy bitch! Ha! Ha ha ha…

Ha…….

Okay, so it's not funny, and I am sorry. I have started on the next chapter, because I got all inspired when I drew a picture of Kyouri and Sano. It's so cute! XP

I've got the url posted on my profile page. Check it out!

DO IT! (grrr)

I get tired of being bouncy…

All right then, a few more chapters to wrap this up and this fic will be done! OMG THAT'S SOOO CRAZY! It feels like it was a lifetime ago I started this fic…(-reminisces-)

If all goes well, I'll do a sequel, but I can tell ya that things aren't looking too bright for that. Maybe a fic where both my RuroKen OC's come together and chill for a while with their respective partners and the Kenshin-gumi. That'd be fun…

PLEASE don't forget to review! My writer's ego needs a major boost at the moment. It doesn't even have to be a positive review, just show me that SOMEONE READ THIS!

I heart all of you, btw. Cheers!


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